Before starting any major new project in an organization, whether for internal use or consumption or for external use and revenue generation, this process can be the difference between winning and losing.

Regardless of size, employees aren't an excuse for not getting desired results. Successful leaders take responsibility for everything in their business. Taking responsibility means if you aren't getting the results you want, look first at yourself and what you can do differently or better. Most of us try to change other people when things aren't going right. To reach our goals, we don't have to change others (most of them won't do it anyway); we need to change ourselves.

To keep a tech workforce engaged and motivated necessitates viewing this from 2 perspectives: how to keep people engaged and motivated, and how to keep the technologist challenged.

Today's best managers are leaders focused on bringing out the best thinking and commitment of all employees in order to develop and sustain the most effective work processes, and the highest quality products and services. Understanding how to engage and empower employees can often be the difference between average performance and high performance.

Once you accept the premise of motivation coming from within, then you no longer get caught in the losing game of trying to motivate others. Instead, you can work to develop an environment in your organization in which people can be motivated and engaged.

Your version of success doesn't have to be just a theory for you if you simply choose to implement doable steps more often. Let's choose to make this year to be when we get out of our own way.

While the specific circumstances may change from company to company or organization to organization, they are looking for ways to get their front-line people willing and able to help achieve the firm's desired results and keep things moving forward.

Many organizations go through the motions of establishing engagement cultures and oftentimes go no farther. Pushing engagement forward takes awareness, understanding, and skill development of essential engagement tools. It also requires leadership, commitment, and patience as the engagement culture slowly emerges into the workplace.

When you promote, test for confidence and not just know-how or experience. A confident person will help the organization achieve its goals on a regular and consistent basis.

What is the value of having a clear, concise vision of what your business could become ten or fifteen years out, along with a plan that clarifies not only what the business will look like but what resources will be needed to achieve it?‍