• Physical Health (October)
• Family and Friends (November)
• Outlook on Professional Future (December)

• A Smaller Work Footprint with a Narrowed View Of Their Capabilities and Accomplishments
• The Employee's Vision Narrows and They Miss Key Opportunities

1. Making Themselves Smaller. As a survival skill, some people make themselves small, in order to cope with a caustic work environment. What do I mean by "small"? Some folks disengage to preserve emotional resources. They decide to take a step back, refrain from rocking the boat, folding their wings in for protection, rather than spreading them. This approach makes sense to survive the day. But it might also mean that they more likely to avoid the "spotlight" and are less likely to tout their accomplishments and celebrate wins with co-workers. The result may be that they minimize the impact they have on projects and the business as a whole. This can become a cycle as they work hard, miss recognition, and withdraw further.
2. Missing Internal Opportunities in Favor of Self Protection. An employee who is struggling may be less likely to share innovative ideas and volunteer for key initiatives because of the uncertainty that comes with added expectations. This employee found a way to cope with their current responsibilities, but is concerned about adding more to their plate.

1. They Expend So Much Energy Surviving, That They Lose Sight of the Value of Their Skills. And When They Don't Recognize Their Value, Self-Promotion is Difficult. Want to know what I hear almost every day? "Leaving this place sounds great, but what else could I do?" or "I hate my job, but I don't have the skills to do anything else." People are so focused on their daily to-do lists that they lose sight of the valuable range of skills they've developed. Maybe they started a new project that brought in amazing revenue. Maybe they've had their head down doing trial after trial, gaining experience others would LOVE to have. Maybe their co-workers keep coming to them for editing help because this employee is widely known to have strong writing skills. Disappointment in the work environment can take focus away from the accomplishments and skills that make the employee attractive to other employers.
2. Networking?! Yeah, right. They're exhausted! Spending so much of their emotional resources at work may mean that time off is spent recovering, rather than attending key events. Even if they do attend, they might decide to stay for shorter amounts of time, and stick around people that make them feel safe. They miss opportunities to stand out, connect with key players and pitch their vision.

• Looking back on 2019, name two accomplishments or positive events that happened each month. (Without this structure, you'll focus on recent events.)

• What were your goals for 2019? Did you reach them? If not, did you take any steps to get you closer to your goal? How did those work? (Be honest with yourself.)

• Did you do something this year that made a positive impact on another person's life? What was it? Describe the impact.

• What are your goals for next year? Have these been goals before? (If so, what is your new game plan to achieving them?) How will you measure your progress? Who will hold you accountable?