Bright Ideas by ColorVizion Lab is the go-to newsletter for people leaders transforming the talent experience. We answer the tough questions people leaders face daily—with straight talk and real solutions.
❔Question of the week: “How do I level up as a people leader in 2025?”
As a people leader, you are the backbone of your organization. Your ability to guide, inspire, and adapt to changes shapes not only your team but also the success of the company.
After a complex year full of change, unpredictability, and shifting workforce priorities, now’s the time to assess your impact and fine-tune your career plan for the year ahead.
When it comes to reflecting on your 2024 wins, think of it as a strategic tool:
- You understand what worked, what didn’t, and why. For instance, maybe a new onboarding process improved retention, or a lack of clarity in goal-setting led to missed deadlines. These insights help you double down on successes and course-correct where needed.
- You avoid repeating mistakes or missing growth opportunities. Spotting inefficiencies allows you to make smarter decisions moving forward.
- You turn 2024 into a strategic roadmap. The lessons of this year can serve as a compass for what to prioritize, improve, or let go of in 2025.
- You spot trends and challenges early. Were employees asking for more flexibility? Did people initiatives stall? Were budgets cut in a certain department? By identifying patterns, you can proactively prepare for what’s to come.
- You reinforce your credibility and position yourself as a visionary. As a result, you build your executive presence and increase visibility at your company.
You’ll also be more confident when setting strategic goals. Studies show that goal-setting significantly increases success rates, especially when they’re specific, measurable, and tied to intrinsic motivators like personal growth. For people leaders, this means aligning goals with both organizational objectives and your leadership values.
By uncovering areas for improvement and creating a clear action plan, you not only hold yourself accountable but also earn trust and inspire confidence among your team.
In this newsletter, we’re sharing action items and reflection prompts to set you up for an impactful 2025. This is also the final part of ColorVizion Lab’s newsletter series on how to navigate and grow in an evolving workforce.
We’re sharing:
🏆8 areas of impact that highlight your value as a leader
🔍Reflection questions to help uncover your leadership gaps
🗓Your top priorities the first 90 days of the year
🎯How to set strategic goals you can measure
Let’s get started!
🏆8 areas of impact that highlight your value as a leader
You may have one job title, but you touch multiple areas of the company. It’s easy to forget just how much you accomplish and how many people you influence.
When reflecting on your impact, don’t forget just how multifaceted you are in your role.
Take a look at these key areas of success where you may have been an invaluable asset.
1️⃣Managing teams: Perhaps you guided your team through a challenging project while keeping morale and collaboration high. Think about how you supported team dynamics, addressed conflicts, and maintained productivity.
2️⃣Managing up: Did you successfully secure resources or get leadership buy-in for your team’s needs? Did you maintain constant communication with higher-ups to maintain momentum? Take note of how you built trust and alignment with senior stakeholders.
3️⃣Strategy: Were your goals clear and measurable? Did you have to adapt your goals and action plan when company priorities changed? Don’t forget how much time went into problem-solving and creating a roadmap that evolved with the company.
4️⃣Creativity and innovation: Did you encourage your team to take risks or think outside the box? Did you host a brainstorming session that led to a game-changing idea? Think about the moments you crafted that led to ingenuity.
5️⃣Resource allocation: How well did you juggle competing priorities? What are some instances when you had to rework a growing or deflating budget? Reflect on how you balanced resources, allocated talent, and managed time effectively.
6️⃣Analytics and reporting: Did you use data to back up decisions or uncover new goals? Maybe you deployed engagement surveys that revealed employee trends?
7️⃣Culture initiatives: Were your inclusion efforts intentional and impactful? Did you launch an employee resource group or affinity group to help create a sense of belonging?
8️⃣Engagement: Did you keep your team connected and motivated? How did you address employee feedback? Identifying how you helped retain top performers is an incredible accomplishment worth celebrating.
As you reflect, remember there’s no such thing as a win too small. Every action is a step toward strengthening the trust and collaboration that define your leadership.
🔍Reflection questions to help uncover your leadership gaps
True reflection is more than tallying up wins. It demands accountability, honesty, and a willingness to sit with discomfort. Acknowledging your missteps allows you to be more adaptable, resilient, and intentional moving forward.
This is also one of the strongest signals of leadership to senior executives. They don’t expect perfection, but they do expect you to identify mistakes and create a plan to avoid repeating them.
This mindset reflects growth, a solutions-focused approach, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Here are key questions to help you reflect on what you could have improved on this last year:
- What challenges caught you off guard and how can you better handle them next time?
- Where did your communication fall short and how can you improve moving forward?
- Did you miss opportunities to collaborate and how can you be more proactive about it in the future?
- Were there any decisions you rushed into that you later regretted? How can you approach decision-making more thoughtfully next time?
- How did you handle stress and setbacks and what can you do to stay focused and resilient going forward?
- What feedback did you receive and how did you act on it? Could you have responded differently or sooner?
- How aligned were your actions with the organization’s goals and where could you have been more consistent?
These questions will help you uncover patterns in your leadership, hold yourself accountable, and set a clear path for your professional development in 2025.
🗓Your top priorities the first 90 days of the year
The first 90 days of the year are critical for building momentum. This is the time to take advantage of higher employee morale, increased budgets, and flexible strategies that haven’t been set in stone yet.
If you can start Q1 with clarity, every action will have a lasting impact on your team’s focus and performance for the year.
To help you make the most of this time, we’ve outlined key action items that will not only set you up for success but also position your team for growth and alignment throughout 2025.
1. Increase your visibility as a leader
- Host an all-hands or town hall in January to articulate your vision and priorities. Share your “why” and how everyone’s involvement will contribute to the company’s growth, performance, and overall success.
- Send weekly or bi-weekly updates (email or video) to keep teams informed on company updates.
- Drop into team meetings across departments to show employees you’re invested in their growth and available to provide support.
- Make time for informal chats with team members in case they have questions, roadblocks, or need words of encouragement.
2. Build relationships with key stakeholders
- Schedule one-on-ones with direct reports, peers, and senior leaders to understand their goals and find alignment.
- Identify influencers within the organization who can champion your initiatives and try to build alliances with them.
- Map out stakeholders’ priorities, communication styles, and collaboration needs so you feel confident interacting with each person.
- Share quick wins with stakeholders within the first month to build trust. Wins can be as small as streamlining a process or resolving a pressing issue.
3. Focus on career development and skill building
- Review team development plans to ensure they align with 2025 goals and identify any skills gaps you need to address.
- Collaborate with managers to create or update career development plans for their direct reports.
- Launch growth initiatives, like mentorship programs or specialized training sessions.
- Don’t neglect your own development. Whether it’s executive coaching, attending a conference, or taking skills-based training, prioritize your professional growth.
4. Gather employee feedback
- Conduct a listening tour the first month of the year through town halls or one-on-ones to hear firsthand what your employees need.
- Send out a pulse survey focused on engagement and employee well-being to connect with employees who may not feel comfortable speaking up in meetings.
- Create a space for ongoing feedback, such as an anonymous suggestion box to show employees they have a space to share their experiences and ideas.
- At the 90-day mark, send out a company-wide recap of what you’ve learned so employees see how their voices shape priorities.
🎯How to set strategic goals you can measure
As you finalize your roadmap for 2025, you’ll need to set measurable goals that reflect both your leadership vision and the company’s priorities.
The SMART goals framework – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound – is a reliable structure that helps make sure your goals are actionable and impactful.
Here’s what SMART goals might look for a people leader focused on improving engagement rates:
Specific: Define exactly what you want to achieve.
Example: Increase employee engagement survey participation rates from 65% to 80% by the end of Q2.
Measurable: Establish metrics to track progress and success.
Example: Achieve a 10% increase in employees who report feeling valued in the workplace, measured through quarterly pulse surveys.
Achievable: Set realistic goals that challenge you but are within reach.
Example: Launch a peer-recognition program in Q1, with 75% of employees participating within six months.
Relevant: Align your goals with broader organizational goals and team needs.
Example: Develop and implement a flexible work policy to improve retention rates in each department.
Time-Bound: Set deadlines to create urgency and keep people focused.
Example: Facilitate two manager training workshops on fostering team engagement by the end of Q1.
Reflection and planning are the foundation of transformative leadership. When you have a clear understanding of your impact in 2024, you’ll feel more confident building an action plan that isn’t just a checklist but will strengthen your leadership skills.
Remember, your role as a people leader is a crucial bridge between employees and the company’s success. Don’t sell yourself short.
📞What questions do you have about leadership?
People leaders, do you have questions about culture building, leadership development, or employee engagement that no one’s talking about?
We want to hear! Submit your question here and we may dive into it in an upcoming newsletter.
📰 Story of the week: What will DEI look like in 2025?
With a new president taking office and more lawsuits against companies and universities over DEI practices, everyone is wondering if DEI will have a sustainable future.
According to practitioners, they don’t plan on stopping this work anytime soon. Read the full story here to learn more.
Create a winning people strategy in 2025
To attract and retain top talent, your company needs a people strategy that positions you as the best of the best.
ColorVizion Lab can help with talent brand messaging, attraction and recruitment, employee communications, and more in 2025!
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