Did you know the second Friday in January has a special name?
Today is Quitters Day!
This auspicious day is named because the second Friday of January is the most common day for people to quit their new year’s resolutions. (https://nationaltoday.com/quitters-day/)
As I sit here drinking my second coffee of the morning, picking chocolates out of Christmas selection box I am happy knowing I haven’t quite today. That’s because I cheat, I don’t make resolutions.
I can understand the appeal, and it’s great if they are something that work for you. But I’ve never done well with them. One issue is that I can’t wait until January to start something new. The other is I often pick something too big, something that would be incredible to achieve but in reality isn’t practical.
At least I’m not alone in this. Every year I see people making huge resolutions, one of the common ones is about mastering communication skills. (It’s never as high as losing weight, getting fit, or learning a language, but it’s up there)
The sad thing is most of those people will fail.
Not because they lack ability or drive. It’s because they are aiming for something that is too vague to be achievable.
What does “Mastering communication skills” actually mean? Which skills? How do you measure “Mastering”?
Don’t get me wrong, setting a goal to improve the way you communicate is excellent. But before you dive headlong into learning public speaking or taking a communication course, I have a request…
If improving communication skills is on your 2025 goals list, do this:
❌ Don’t pick a skill
✅ Pick a SITUATION
Pick a communication situation to improve
Communication is a HUGE subject with hundreds of different skills and techniques.
All of them take time to learn and practice. It just isn’t possible to learn them all.
Plus, some skills take years to master. Seriously, no one masters public speaking in a month.
If you want to improve your communication skills at work here’s what to do >>>
Pick a single communication situation you often face at work. Then focus on improving that.
1️⃣ Pick a situation you face often at work that is also something you want to improve
2️⃣ Identify good communication techniques to use in that situation – find books, courses, articles, experts focused on that specific situation
3️⃣ Practice one technique at a time, every day, to slowly build the skill and new habits over time
If you aren’t sure where to start, the image below includes nine common work communication situations you might want to consider starting with.
Focusing on specific situations means every small improvement will make your job easier.
The more specific the situation you choose, the easier it is to find the right techniques to use.
The more challenging you find the situation, the more you will enjoy seeing your progress.
➡️ Instead of starting 2025 with broad or vague communication goals, pick ONE work communication situation you regularly face and focus on improving how you communicate in it.
Why?
Because better communication isn’t just about techniques—it’s about being effective in the moments that matter most.👍