A fresh start

When a country elects a (good) new leader it creates a burst of energy.

A sense of hope and action.

This is partly because of the ceremony of change itself.

There's a set moment when the leader puts forward their new ideas, giving speeches and interviews.

A leader is never more powerful than in their first three months.

But what does this mean for you as a longer serving leader?

You don't have to quit and get someone new in. You can create a large part of this new energy by simply having the ceremony of change.

Once a year, make a big thing about the next leap forward the agency needs to take and your strategy to get there. Outline your hopes and plans.

In the past I've unveiled a theme for each year, backed by a manifesto.

Then, set quarterly goals towards this big theme, and make a big thing of reviewing and renewing these every three months. Setting new actions for progress for the quarter ahead.

Don't be shy. Give speeches, write letters/emails/blogs. This is all part of the sense of ceremony.

Make every year, and every quarter, a fresh start in your agency.