If I asked you right now to write down your top three personal goals, could you do it easily? Would the words flow onto the page because you know them like the back of your hand?
Or would you pause… still trying to figure out what you’d write?
It’s great that you’re thinking about it—most people don’t. But that pause often reveals a deeper issue: our goals may not be as defined or as prioritized as we think. And when our goals are fuzzy, our motivation and focus tend to follow the same pattern.
Leaders, Here’s the Harder Question
If I handed you a sheet of paper for each person on your team and asked you to write down their top three goals, could you?
For many leaders, the answer is no.
Not because they don’t care about their people—but because those conversations haven’t happened. Or better yet, they happened once and never resurfaced.
If your team hasn’t set goals at all, then yes, it’s impossible.
But if they have gone through a goal-setting process, then ask yourself:
Why don’t we know what matters most to the people we manage?
Personal and Professional Success Are Directly Connected
Most leaders agree that personal success and professional success are deeply intertwined. When people have clarity in their lives, they bring clarity to their work. When they’re moving forward personally, they have more energy, purpose, and resilience professionally.
Personal progress—goals, drive, consistency—almost always precedes professional growth.
Not the other way around.
And yet, many employees—and many leaders—drift into the new year without direction, without alignment, and without a plan that keeps them accountable.
December Is Your Opportunity
If any of this resonates with you—if you’re a leader, manager, or individual contributor craving more clarity—consider joining us for our 2026 Personal & Professional Goal Setting Series this December.
We’re hosting three focused sessions: December 2, 9, and 16
A few hours of investment now for a full year of clarity later. When you consider how many hours make up a year, the return on that investment is massive.
You’ll walk away with:
A clear set of personal and professional goals
A practical plan to achieve them
Tools to bring this process back to your team
A stronger sense of alignment for the year ahead
Here’s the link if you’re interested in our goal session:
If you have questions, reach out—I'm always here to help you think it through.
Here’s to clarity, alignment, and a stronger 2026.
Presented by Chris Kelly, Sandler Training Toronto
