Like you, we’ve been thinking about what we hope for 2013.
For the last few years, Hoots and I have picked a single word to represent what we wanted the next year’s focus to be. Our word for the year had to be something we could fit into our individual lives. Our word had to connect with our lives as “partners in all things” — spanning both the “Hoots and Thomas” personal and professional lives. The word of the year has to influence our family life. And it has to work as a center-point for Oneicity and our service to clients.
In 2011 our word was FIT. We took steps to get in shape. We worked to find FIT in our professional lives. We made sure we really FIT our clients. Our solutions and strategies had to fit each unique client situation (we don’t do cookie-cutter strategies). And we worked hard to have great team members who fit Oneicity culture. Fit was tough, but made 2011 a pivotal year in many, many ways.
In 2012, our word was CELEBRATE. CELEBRATE led to the Birthdaypalooza party: A gathering of as many of the people we love as we could get into one place. We celebrated God’s faithfulness and the blessing of rich, deep relationships. All year, we looked for ways to celebrate big moments and small moments. We celebrated team victories and client wins. We even closed the year by arranging some celebrations for 2013 (we had so much fun celebrating we couldn’t stop).
The word for 2013 didn’t come quickly or easily. Hoots and I each had different ideas and nominations for the word. I was pushing hard for a word I loved, but Hoots just wasn’t buying it. We debated and researched. There’s always that moment when one of us (usually Hoots) goes to Dictionary.com and begins reading definitions — including all the synonyms and all the antonyms. It’s almost a ritual.
It was when Hoots was reading me definitions that 2013’s word became clear and garnered instant agreement from both of us.
Our word for 2013 is RESOLVE.
Here’s Dictionary.com’s first definition: “to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something).”
That works, but wasn’t the magical shift. The other definitions are what wowed me.
“In music: to progress from a dissonance to a consonance” — I liked that a lot. That’s often how we help clients . . . moving from confusing dissonance and problems to order and solutions. That’s what I need in my personal life. That’s a lot of what Hoots and Thomas are doing in our professional lives.
Another definition: “to find the answer or solution to; solve” . . . Hey, that’s our work as well.
That’s our DNA.
So in 2013, Hoots and Thomas name our word for the year as RESOLVE. We’re saying “out loud”* that in 2013 we will be about moving from dissonance to order. We’re taking steps in every way, in every part of our lives to declare the firm decision to move away from chaos to solutions.
In 2013, Oneicity will be guided by RESOLVE. Delivering decisive solutions for clients. Helping great organizations and leaders find clarity in confusing times.
So what about you?
How do you deal with a bright shiny new year?
If you make resolutions, would you share them?
If you choose a word, what’d you pick?
I know several people pick words for their year. For example, the great thinker and blogger Chris Brogan chooses three. And I know Rebekah Basinger over at Generous Matters chooses three words, too. Also Hoots’ social media mentor Mari Smith chooses a word for each year.
1 word or 3 words. Resolutions or not. Whatever you do to mark the beginning of 2013, I hope you’ll share the journey with us. It’s going to be a great ride.
*In the Oneicity e-newsletter I talked about the power of “saying things out loud” in moments like this. (And if you don’t get the Oneicity e-newsletter, sign up and give it a try. I think you’ll find it interesting and maybe helpful. You can sign up here).
Steve Thomas
Partner, Oneicity
(photo credit: Steve Thomas)
Find Steve on Instragram: oneicity_st
