CHANGING HOW YOU DO THINGS IN THE OFFICE
Imagine that this year's performance review wasn't as successful as you had hoped. Maybe your manager was overly critical of you. It's possible you didn't fail due to any major mistakes but rather because you didn't put forth sufficient effort. Several items on this list should be prioritized for the coming year if you want to see real progress in your professional life in 2019.
Practice Being the One in Charge
At a large company, it's simple to fall through the cracks. Next year, you have a great opportunity to make a name for yourself and advance in your company by proving to your superiors that you can successfully steer major projects. Many ideas will likely be floated as we enter the new year. Take one. Carry on doing this the next time the thought occurs to you, and any time after that. Exhibit potential for leadership, and you will likely be rewarded.
Embrace Your Own Achievements
Humility is a commendable trait, but there comes a point when downplaying your professional accomplishments is counterproductive. Promote yourself by reminding your manager of your past successes in order to increase the likelihood that they will take note of your future successes and promote you. This is not to say that you should constantly boast about yourself. Nonetheless, if you make a marketing brochure and the sales team loves it, you shouldn't be shy about letting your boss know how great of a job you did.
Learn How to Deliver Powerful Presentations
If you want to impress your audience, whether they number ten or ten thousand, good presentation skills are usually acquired through deliberate practice and planning. If your presentations have been lackluster in the past, resolve to make next year's the best one yet. Learn to make better eye contact and develop your graphic design skills to captivate your audience. Improving your ability to present information will help you stand out from the crowd.
Act Boldly When Required
No one wants to be known as the person who always said "no" to the impossible request. Saying "yes" on a regular basis, even when you know the request is unreasonable, can be detrimental to your career. Refusing to comply with unreasonable requests should be a resolution for the coming year. For example, if you know you're going to be busy the rest of the week, but you're still being asked to take on a major new project, it's best to be honest about it and either decline or ask for a replacement. Even though it's human nature to want to be admired, setting unrealistic expectations for yourself is a surefire recipe for disappointment (and unhealthy stress for you and those around you).
Get in More Constant Communication with Your Superiors
It's hard to get a sense of your boss's expectations and your own performance if you don't have frequent chances to sit down and talk. Assure my superiors that I will be more proactive in soliciting their feedback next year. Send your boss emails or schedule regular one-on-ones to get feedback on your performance. Knowing what your boss is thinking about you and your work will help you avoid roadblocks that could hinder your career growth.
To succeed as much as possible in one's professional endeavors is an objective shared by all employees. What the next year brings is something to look forward to, even if this year wasn't what you had hoped it would be. With each new year comes the possibility that this will be the year you finally get that promotion or pay raise you've been working toward.