Over the holiday, l’ve taken some time to reflect on the business challenges my clients have experienced over the past 21 year. The solutions to their issues tend to fall into four categories:

Get Over it. You’re competing with the “big guys” for staff (and suppliers, customers, etc.).Take a hard look at your business and determine wath separates you from your competition, then exploit the heck out of it. When it comes to competing for employees asmaller company has a huge capacity to create a flexible, welcoming, highly productive workspace (both virtual and physical). Frustrated with the “new” wave of employees (currently the Millennials, but before that Gen Y, and prior to that Gen X, the Boomers, and so on)? You competitors are facing the same challenges, so turn it to your advantage; read “generation Y” by Patrick Sheahan to connect with the new woekers and make sure you atteact and retain the best.

Get UNder it. Now is the chance to take a good hard look at is working for your company, and what isn’t. Get under the hood of your business; take a day and develop (or your “inner circle”. Decide what skil sets you need to achieve which strategic goals and realign your workforce accordingly.

Get Behind it. You’ve got revised business strategy (and if you don’t, you should). Now is the time to put all your weight behind it. Show your customers, youe vendors, your employees and most importantly your investors (including you), that you mean business. Communicate what you’re going to achieve clearly and concisely, and most importantly tell your employees how they fit into the plan.

Get In Front Of It. Talk to your employees. Find out what is going on. Where are the productivity black holes in your business and how can you remove them ? This is your key job as a leader – give people the vision and mission, and tell them what they need to accomplish by when. Ask, “What might prevent you from getting this done?” Then listen.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but if can knock off just one action itme in each of these four areas by the end of january 2012, you’re going to have a great year ahadl