Where did time go? It’s already time for the new year. Did your business enjoy additional growth and success this 2016? Before the celebrations begin.. Now is a good time to reflect on the positive and negative. Taking time to reflect on your businesses progress is a good way to start 2017 strong. Setting strong news years resolutions will continue to allow growth. Whether you want to expand your business, increase your revenue, take on new territory, or reduce expenses; look at these 5 resolutions that we think can help any small business owner.

No matter what mistakes you’ve made this previous 2016, the new year is a fresh slate to begin with.

The first step you should take is plan. I know that I covered this topic in the last article , but let me dive deeper. Having a written business plan to reflect on will make every step forward easier to make. When you identify potential obstacles and goals, it’s easier to see progress and what you need to do.

Cutting out the negativity. There’s enough negativity in our everyday lives. Just turn on the news and it’s a constant stream. When you try to cut out the negativity, you’ll encourage a chain reaction of positive things to happen. As the leader of the company, you may face days where all you will hear is negative news. Remember that employees look to you for inspiration. Staying positive is a trait most commonly found in CEOs. Learn from that.

Give up control. It’s difficult to give up control of your small business. However, you need to have trust in your employees. Micromanaging your employees creates tension and resentment. We understand it’s difficult to let go, but you must let employees make decisions on their own. This way your employees can grow while allowing you more time to focus on other aspects of the company. Hiring the right manager will free up time

Show Appreciation. Showing appreciation for your employees will go a very long way, Forbes published a study showing that the number one thing that caused employees to leave was not feeling appreciated or micromanaging. Whether it’s just a simple email giving recognition for a job well done or treating them to a lunch, there’s many ways to make your employees feel appreciated.

Make a promise to yourself to take a vacation. This has more to do with separating your personal identity with your business. Sometimes we work so much that we blur the lines between our personal and work lives. Like we mentioned in our other article , taking a vacation won’t destroy your business. Most people report having increased clarity when making business decisions.

I hope these 5 resolutions will help you become a better CEO in 2017. It’s important to focus on moving forward, no matter how small the progress. Here’s to a profitable new year. As always, if you have any suggestions for us – feel free to email us.