We, at QuarterCompany, would like to wish you a Happy New Year! We hope that 2012 is a fulfilling year for you personally, as well as for your organization.

The dawn of a new year prompts many of us to reflect on the achievements we’ve made in the previous 12 months and set goals for the year to come. Although the practice of setting New Year’s resolutions is often personal in nature, organizations can also use the start of the New Year as a time to reflect on what they’ve accomplished during the course of the past 12 months, and plan for the coming year.

Before setting any new goals for your organization, reflect on the milestones your organization reached in 2011, and take time to celebrate your organization’s success. Consider what lessons were learned over the last year, and think about the ways in which your organization has changed since the start of 2011. Recall who or what contributed to your organization’s success during the past year, and consider how the previous months’ achievements have positioned your organization for the year to come.

Once you’ve celebrated your organization’s success, it is time to focus your thoughts on the year ahead – 2012. Think about 12 months from now, when you conduct this exercise again at the start of 2013, and ask yourself: At this time next year, what milestones do I want to be celebrating? What goals do I want my organization to have met? In what ways will my organization have improved?

Once your vision for the coming year takes shape, draft a plan for action, and then get started. The New Year may have just begun, but now is the time to begin working towards your organization’s 2012 goals.