Every year on January 1, most of us make some sort of New Year's Resolution: a promise to ourselves to somehow make things better in the coming year.

 

Some people make resolutions about their looks or their health: lose weight, eat right, exercise, etc.; and some people focus more on their finances: spend less, save more, or finally open that retirement account. Either way, most of our resolutions tend to do with our personal lives - and that's great!

 

But what about your business/work life? Many of us have seen rough waters in the past year and a half. Workers across the spectrum, from manufacturing workers to formerly high-paid executives, found themselves unemployed in the past year. It's been a scary time for many. And, while economists say that we're slowly climbing out of the recession and the economy appears to be on the upswing, there is a long road ahead, and that got me thinking... What if we all resolved to do our jobs, and run our businesses, better?

 

Don't get me wrong... I am fully aware that our current economic situation is the result of MANY different factors. But, at the same time, I am not alone in the realization that the work ethic in the United States has suffered for some time.

 

That's certainly not to say that American workers are lazy...I've worked with many truly dedicated, hard-working individuals who take great pride in their work. But at the same time, I am in constant disbelief at some of the people I deal with in my daily life who act like it is a chore to actually do the jobs for which they are paid. I've waited in line while a cashier texted her friend about what they were doing after work, and I've been placed on hold by someone at a call center who was on her cell phone making her wedding plans (she actually told me this!). I've also had sales people tell me that it was "too much trouble" to come out to meet with me in person, when they felt that all our business could be conducted over the phone or via email.

 

What it all comes down to is this: Every one of us who is fortunate enough to have a job should commit to doing it to the very best of our ability. And those of us who are business owners have a responsibility to ourselves and our employees to do what it takes to make our businesses successful. Nobody's perfect, and hard work does not always guarantee success and prosperity. But I truly believe that, if we all make the commitment to work harder and smarter, the successes of 2010 will greatly outshine the hardships of 2009.

 

Happy New Year, everyone!