Focus On People Management
November is upon us, which means many of us have our heads down as we sprint to the holidays/new year. I hope for all that the end of the month will include some well-deserved time off to celebrate, rest, recover, and reflect.
I’m not sure there is a group that needs this more than folks who have been managing individuals and teams in 2025. With broad issues such as global conflicts, governmental funding cuts and shutdowns, and generational differences coupled with organizational challenges such as funding uncertainty and staff angst, the demands on managers have been significant, and the rewards aren’t always apparent.
I’d like to provide some guidance on how to use just a small portion of the upcoming downtime to reflect on how you showed up as a manager in 2025 and how you can start the new year strong.
Carve out time to reflect
The first step is a literal one - book time in your calendar! And hold yourself to it, perhaps by thinking of ways to make it something you can look forward to. This could include scheduling a virtual or in-person co-working session with a friend, getting cozy with a toasty beverage while donning your favorite sweater, etc. Give some thought to the environment and logistics that will make you feel comfortable and reflective, and treat yourself accordingly.
Ready? Reflect!
Here are some questions to get you started, focusing first on you and then on your role as a manager.
What am I most proud of accomplishing this year?
What limited my success this year? Consider internal and external factors.
What have I learned about myself and my management style this year? Consider feedback received from peers, direct reports, and/or your manager.
How well did I adhere to my management philosophy? (Don’t have one? Craft a draft now!)
How did I spend my time with each direct report? How does this need to shift in 2026 to improve our collaboration and better support their performance and development?
What do I want to learn and/or do in 2026 to grow my management skills?
Update (or create) your template check-in agenda accordingly
While management itself can be complicated, the tools that we use to support our management practices don’t have to be. Use this time to get back to basics, making sure you have a management philosophy as well as a solid check-in template that includes the staff member’s top priorities and allows for two-way feedback, discussion/problem-solving, and updates (always at the end!).
Get ahead!
How many times have we entered the new year with the best of ideas and intentions, only to have everything swept away by the intensity of our day-to-day lives? Don’t let yourself move on to another activity until you calendar out the key activities related to your people that may otherwise sneak up on you or be unintentionally forgotten, at least for Q1 2026. These can include a quarterly performance review, team-building gatherings, check-ins, and a touchpoint on their professional development plans (if you do this outside of regular check-ins).
