The Work Beneath the Work - Starting the Year Well

“Can we talk about how we want to work together this year?”

It is a simple question. It often feels awkward. It is almost always worth asking.

Starting the year well is not about certainty. It is about intention. About recognising that how a team works together under pressure is shaped early, either deliberately or by default.

Leadership scholar Linda Hill reminds us that leadership is about creating the context in which people can do good work together. That context is built through early conversations that clarify expectations, norms, and boundaries.

These conversations include how disagreement will be handled, what matters when time is tight, and how feedback will be given when stakes are high. Teams that invest in these conversations early are not immune to difficulty. They are simply less surprised by each other.

Reflective questions

• What conversations have we already had about how we will work together?

• Which ones have we avoided or postponed?

• What would starting well look like for us this year?

Have a great week
Mary-Anne