#306: What I See in the Rearview Mirror

Every strategic business person I know asks himself or herself three important questions when evaluating whether a project was successful.

1) What should we start doing?

2) What should we stop doing?

3) What should we continue doing?

Start Doing

Determine what things are not being done that should be done. What things should we start doing to get better results? What new things should we try or experiment with that might get better results?

Stop Doing

Determine what things are being done that should not be done. What things are not working or helping? What things impede progress or are not practical?

Continue Doing

Determine what things are working well that we should keep doing. What things are meeting the needs of the organization and our customers? What things should we continue doing to see if they are worthwhile in the long-run?

2018 in the Rearview Mirror

So, like any good business person, I looked back at 2018 and asked myself what should I start doing, what should I stop doing, and what should I continue doing?

What Should I Start Doing?

Two things come to mind when I consider what to start doing in 2019.

First, website traffic plateaued in 2018. I attribute that to the fact that I stopped advertising on Facebook in late 2017. So, I will resume limited Facebook advertising in 2019 and watch it closely to see if it helps to increase website readership.

Second, video has become an incredibly powerful device to connect with audiences. So, maybe it’s time I try some form of simple video and see if that connects with you, my loyal readers.

What Should I Stop Doing?

Pursuant to my mid-year review, I made the decision to stop posting content on Medium. It isn't a lot of extra work to post there, but I didn't see any incremental readership and no traffic came back to the website. 

Considering everything  I’m doing to reach and help leaders around the world I see nothing else I should stop doing. However, I realize I need not do it all myself. My focus and productivity will improve if I simply contract out some of the maintenance work associated with the website.

What Should I Continue Doing?

My primary focus during the year is on researching and writing content that is topical, timely, and relevant. That is exactly what I should be doing. Second, I will continue to build my presence on social media (primarily Instagram) to see if this effort is worthwhile in the long-run.

Most Popular Posts of 2018

As part of my review of 2018, I looked through my entire library of 300+ posts to see which were the most popular. Here are the most read posts from the past year.

1. #125: 5 Truths Esther Taught Me about Leadership in the Face of Death
2. #111: 4 Types of Leaders Who Rejected God and Failed
3. #078: 5 Signs You Are Rebelling Against God's Call on Your Life
4. #195: Do You See Yourself in the Life of Zacchaeus?
5. #173: What Unique Trait Should Christians Share with Redwood Trees?
6. #056: 10 Things I Learned About Leadership from Dr. Seuss
7. #265: Why Is Hope Important in the Christian Life?
8. #091: What to do When You Are Stuck Cleaning Up Someone Else's Mess!
9. #287: 4 Reasons Smart People Refuse to Admit Their Mistakes
10. #280: Is Our Society Headed in the Wrong Direction?

5 Things I Learned from the Rearview Mirror

• Older Posts Are Still Relevant. 70% of the most read posts of 2018 were written in prior years! Of the top 10 most read posts, four are from 2014, two are from 2015, two are from 2016, and three are from 2018.
• Personal Development Rules. Readers are most interested in topics that apply to their personal development. Six of the top 10 posts were in the Personal Development category.
• Relationship Development Is High Priority. Readers are also very interested in how to better relationships in the workplace. Three of the top 10 posts were in the Relationship Development category.
• Skill Development Is Not A High Priority. Posts on developing skills in the workplace are the least interesting to the majority of readers. Only one Skill Development post was in the top 10.
• You Love Lists. Five of the top 10 posts were “list” type posts, which makes perfect sense. You’re busy, and lists are a great way to provide information concisely.

I hope you enjoyed this look into my rearview mirror of 2018. If you missed some of these posts, I invite you to check them out!

Join the Conversation

As always, questions and comments are welcome. Which was your favorite post of the year? Does this analysis surprise you? Are there any topics you would like me to explore in the next year?

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Category: Relationships | Servant Leadership