At the start of every year, many leaders set ambitious goals and resolutions, only to watch them fizzle by spring. The problem isn’t ambition; it’s habit. Sustainable business growth doesn’t come from one-off decisions or bursts of energy; it comes from consistent, intentional practices that become part of your daily routine. Dr. Cynthia Howard, in her book The Work Smart Principle: A Framework for Leaders to Manage Time & Energy, shows that these habits can be built through having a clear direction, protecting your energy, and focusing on what truly matters. By integrating these principles into daily routines, leaders can move beyond short-lived resolutions and create lasting, measurable results.
Find Your Leadership GPS:
Successful habits begin with clarity. Think of your leadership “GPS,” as Dr. Howard calls it: a system that keeps your actions aligned with your most important goals. Start by setting one main goal for the year, then break it into three core priorities. These priorities serve as a guide for the strategies, activities, and tasks that will drive meaningful progress. A leadership GPS provides a constant reference point, helping leaders stay focused even amid distractions, competing demands, or unexpected disruptions. It also encourages regular reflection by reviewing actions throughout the year to ensure they remain aligned with long-term objectives. Embedding a leadership GPS into daily routines doesn’t just benefit individual leaders; it creates clarity across teams, reduces wasted effort, and ensures alignment across departments, fostering a culture of intentional progress.
Protect Your Energy, Not Just Your Time:
Being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. Dr. Howard emphasizes that energy is just as important as time. Sustainable habits require knowing when you’re stretched too thin and taking steps to recharge. This might include blocking time for focused work, taking regular breaks, or setting boundaries around meetings and emails. Leaders who pay attention to their energy levels think more clearly, make better decisions, and show up fully for their teams. Protecting energy ensures that you’re not just working harder but working smarter and creating sustainable momentum for growth.
Focus on What Moves the Needle:
Sustainable growth comes from deliberate focus. Leaders need to prioritize the tasks and relationships that have the greatest impact, rather than simply doing more. This requires identifying results-driven projects that advance the organization’s goals and letting go of initiatives that do not add measurable value. In today’s fast-paced, distraction-heavy world, it is easy to fill schedules with activities that seem urgent but offer little long-term benefit. By consistently reinforcing habits that directly impact revenue, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, leaders create momentum that compounds over time. Small, intentional actions, when consistently applied, become lasting results and create a foundation for long-term success.
Building sustainable business habits isn’t flashy, and it won’t make headlines. But by setting a clear direction, protecting your energy, and focusing on what truly matters, leaders can transform intentions into measurable impact. Habits, not resolutions, are what turn good intentions into real business growth. By committing to these practices daily, organizations can create a culture of focus, energy, and purpose that drives growth year after year.
