A Smart Way to Review 2022

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, are you?
Set with good intentions and enthusiasm but a distant memory by mid-February.

But an honest strategic review that helps set direction and pathways forward?
Now you’re talking my language!

The guiding heuristic for becoming antifragile is to ask, ‘How can we be better coming out of this than we were coming into it?’

And this is a great question to be asking about 2022 right now.

Because by asking this question, we are holding ourselves realistically and gently accountable for how things have gone this year – for what we’ve done well, where we struggled and the learning that we can gain from these experiences to help us be better in 2023.

It’s also a really clear way in which we can partner with ourselves.
Which means we’re not making ourselves wrong, but we’re also not denying the reality of what’s happened this year and we are willing to have a clear, clean conversation in review to understand the golden nuggets from our experience to take forward.

In Becoming Antifragile, I suggest the Learning Loop as a way for us to Act, Assess and Adjust our mindsets, attitudes and behaviours so that we can increase our antifragility and ‘be better’ moving forward. You can find out more about that here.

In Own It! I propose a specific mindset and series of conversation frameworks to create clear and agreed accountability in a way that is realistic, supportive and sets us up for success. You can find out more about this here.

But today, we’re going to combine these two things as a great way to end 2022 through an appreciative review. Based on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, it goes a little something like this…

Reflect on your experiences in 2022…

What went well?
What are the things you are proud of that you would like to shine a light on?

Where did you struggle?
When were the times and types of challenges you encountered that you would like to acknowledge?

Now thinking about both of these and your experiences, here a three powerful reflections…

“This Was Great!…”
What do you appreciate about your experiences in 2022 and how could this impact your future hopes and dreams?

This reflection is about the learning and wisdom you can take forward.
Now, our brains need detail here in order for it to be sticky, so you need to be specific as you reflect on what you appreciate and how you want it to make a difference in your life.

For me, I’ve really appreciated the space and invitation I’ve been given to expand my thinking and way of being in 2022. It’s been scary at times, and I haven’t always stepped into it with ease and grace, but I know from my experiences this year, I won’t deny who I am or play small again.

“I’d Like To See…”
What can you see had great potential in 2022 – perhaps was emerging in some way – but needs something added or clarified to make the most of the opportunities or meet the challenges of 2023 and beyond?

This reflection is about possibility. What we focus our attention on grows, which means that we need to acknowledge and place intentionality around the things that feel just out of reach – at the tips of our fingers, but you can’t get a firm grip on it just yet.

For me, this is my work on Partnering. I’ve been playing and exploring this year, but in 2023 I know I need to focus my attention to get clear and grounded in my thinking, so that it can be shared in the world.

“I’m Worried About…”
Is there something missing or concerning about your experiences in 2022?

This reflection is about what you’d like to change. Rather than diving into the detail of specific events, this reflection invites you to zoom out to look at the year overall and sense its shape, nature and profile – the patterns and trajectory of your experiences.

For me, this is about balancing space and pace. I’ve been running hard to fit all that I want into life this year and there have been times of beautiful rejuvenating space, but the pace I have had to run to reach those spaces I’ve recognised is not sustainable.

This appreciative review process can be used for anything – with an individual team member in a progress review conversation, with the whole team to review a project, and it’s a great way to wrap out the year on a high note.

Because it’s not that we pretend that everything went perfectly and according to plan, but it is a chance to acknowledge strengths, the work that’s been done and identify ways that we can ‘be better’ going forward.

If you’d like to continue your ‘being better’ journey over the summer, I have a final gift for you this week as I wrap out 2022…

The AntiFragile Online Program is a companion experience to my book, Becoming AntiFragile. It is self-paced so that you can read in your own time, extends thinking and application of the ideas in the book and gently invites you to accountability in exploring how you can turn disruption and uncertainty to your advantage.

As part of the program, you receive a digital edition of Becoming AntiFragile and 7 learning modules with videos, activities and podcasts. It’s a lovely gift and investment in you – something that your future self will definitely thank you for!

The program is normally priced at $129, but you can access it for just $39 until midnight on Christmas Eve when you use the code BAFXMAS. Just click here to access the program.

As I sign off for the summer, I want to thank you for your support and interest this year.

2022 has been busy and exciting, with a second edition of Becoming AntiFragile released at the start of February, my new book, Own It! at the end of March and a series of new keynotes throughout the year.

There are lots of new things planned for 2023 and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you when I’m back in your inbox at the end of January.

I wish you a happy and healthy Australian summer, filled with love, laughter and the people you care most about.

Until next time…