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As the new year approaches, business leaders are gearing up for Q1 with strategic planning top of mind. As executive coaching leaders and professionals know, identifying special projects and goals to undertake during this crucial quarter is key, as these activities can set the tone and trajectory for the rest of an organization’s year.
Here, 18 Forbes Coaches Council members discuss the projects their firms will be spearheading in the new year that they hope will make a significant impact on the business and why it’s important to initiate them in the first quarter. With the right Q1 objectives and plans, a coaching practice can start fostering annual success early on in the year.
1. Establishing More Partnerships
Our goal is to establish more partnerships and collaborations. By creating non-competing alliances, businesses have a chance to bridge expertise and knowledge gaps while adding value for their existing customers. Customers will benefit from having a competitive advantage, and there will be increased revenue and profits for both parties as they are strengthened with meaningful outcomes. - Kurline J Altes, KURLINEJSPEAKS LLC
2. Reshaping Our Product Slate
I’m looking to reshape our product slate to have a much more simplified suite of offerings that are directly connected to our client’s most pressing challenges. We have so much talent, knowledge and skill on our staff, which allows us to differentiate our services from other similar agencies. - Tim Huff, Turknett Leadership Group
3. Encouraging Employees To Build Relationships
Q1 is coming! More than ever, today’s workforce needs high-quality life connections as a preventative to isolation and anxiety. Encouraging workers to take time for personal relationship-building is key to their well-being. Giving them time in Q1 is a hedge bet forward for Q4. Our stronger, more resilient workforce gives us gas in the tank for what’s ahead. - Carry Metkowski, Carry Metkowski
4. Prioritizing Sustainability
By prioritizing sustainability in Q1, our business can actively work toward reducing its carbon footprint, conserving resources and encouraging responsible consumption and production. This will be achieved by conducting a thorough energy audit to identify areas for improvement and implementing various energy-saving measures. - Jay Garcia, Jay Garcia Group
5. Integrating Artificial Intelligence And Apps
I am planning to integrate the use of AI and app-based facilities to augment the coaching experience clients have with me, either individually or in teams. It is part of a wider strategy to test, incorporate or discard new best practice elements, which ensures I continue to expand my customer base into new segments and through new streams of revenue and expertise. The challenge is exciting! - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
6. Scheduling Downtime
Given the rush of December activities, I’m scheduling downtime in January. Translation: My days will be spent following my curiosity by reading, exercising, talking with friends and soaking up nature. Putting myself in such a creative space does wonders for my spirit, which in turn increases the quality of my thinking when I am back in front of a desk. - Patrice Ford Lyn, Catapult Change
7. Embedding Strategy Throughout The Organization
Getting everyone involved in thinking about how they can better align their daily work with our strategy is the key to achieving goals. To start strong, my goal is for the entire team to embed the strategy in their work and take ownership of achieving it. - Krista Neher, Boot Camp Digital
8. Launching A Membership Platform
My Q1 goal is to launch a membership platform for women in their 30s and 40s who desire a positive career change or promotion, but lack the confidence to make it happen. My vision is to reach way more women than one-to-one coaching offers and, in this way, contribute to closing the gender pay gap by supporting women to break through glass ceilings and earn better salaries for doing work they love. - Adriana Kosovska, Zero To Dream Job
9. Restructuring A Current Project
Restructuring a current project is the focus for Q1. When I founded this project 18 years ago, we delivered leadership training and coaching programs to organizations. With shifts in the market, this project is key to today’s agency, as the new programming allows for scalability, fiscal responsibility and greater innovation—three key performance indicators that are valuable for all organizations. - Lisa Marie Platske, Upside Thinking, Inc.
10. Designing A Course Portal
For Q1, we have been designing a course portal for people to learn social media strategies on their own time and at their own pace. It’s crucial to plan and set up now so that you have a well-thought-out plan on how to execute the strategy for maximum buyers. - Lauren Najar, Lauren Najar Coaching LLC
11. Refining Our Innovation Strategy; Recalibrating Our Portfolio
In Q1, we’re focusing on refining our innovation strategy and recalibrating our portfolio. The business landscape is in flux, with emerging market demands and transformative AI technologies redefining opportunities. I want to redirect resources toward better Horizon 2 and 3 initiatives. Our objective? To maintain a competitive edge and fortify our long-term position as industry frontrunners. - Svetlana Dimovski, PhD, ICF-PCC, NBC-HWC, Dharma Growth, LLC
12. Maximizing Our Value As A Trusted Resource
We are launching an initiative focused on writing articles and creating tools to continue maximizing our value in helping executive leadership advance in their careers and personal lives. This aligns with our mission to support and uplift females in their journey to happiness and success, making a positive impact by providing resources for female executives to thrive while lifting others in their journey. - Martha Jeifetz, MJ - Executive Coaching & Advising
13. Scaling Cause-Related Efforts
I want to scale my project to help families secure the quality of life for their autistic children when their parents or caregivers are gone. I’m mentoring freelance consultants and company culture directors at corporations, and I’m beginning to support foundations pro bono as an executive coach now. - Dominik Szot, MIA
14. Becoming Hybrid
Online coaching is amazing, and I’m very fortunate to be able to work from anywhere, with people anywhere. I’d like to also add back some human connection and face-to-face work in Q1. - Michele Cohen, Lead to Growth Coaching
15. Enhancing Customer Experience
We are planning to launch a special project focused on enhancing our customer experience through personalized interactions. This is key for our business now, as it will foster customer loyalty, differentiate us from competitors and drive sustainable growth by delivering exceptional value and building long-term relationships with our customers. - Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D, Human Capital Innovations
16. Launching A Mobile App
For Q1, we’re super excited to launch our new mobile app! Given the increasing trend of online shopping and our customers’ preference for making purchases on the go, this app is the perfect solution. It’s vital for our business now, as it’ll enhance user experience, increase customer engagement and drive sales. - Peter Boolkah, The Transition Guy
17. Adding New Accounts
We will successfully add two new talent acquisition accounts and three new outplacement accounts during this time. The seeds are being planted now with other satisfied clients to recommend and refer us. We are building toward these goals based on sheer numbers. We are not “hoping” to do it, but mapping how many calls, texts, emails and speaking engagements it will take to hit our numbers. - John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
18. Leveraging AI; Launching New Content
I will be expanding my use of AI and launching a new newsletter and radio show on LinkedIn. Okay, so that’s technically three, but they are all special projects. AI is a continued expansion and exploration to ensure my practice, products and professional services remain relevant with the times. The newsletter and tandem radio show allow me to further reach my audience across continents and cultures. - Joshua Miller, Joshua Miller Executive Coaching
