Your Leadership Checklist for 2025

Happy New Year, everyone! 🎉

If you’re anything like me, the first week of January comes with an odd mix of emotions. There’s the excitement of a fresh start, the guilt from the mountain of chocolate you devoured over Christmas, and the existential dread of writing down goals you might not keep.

Sound familiar?

Well, here’s the good news: leadership isn’t about setting perfect goals or pretending you’ve got it all figured out. It’s about showing up, being real, and taking ownership—of your decisions, your team, and most importantly, yourself.

2025 is a blank slate, but it’s not going to fill itself. As leaders, we need to ask ourselves some tough questions. How do we build trust with our teams? Are we showing enough empathy? Are we making excuses when things go wrong? And here’s a big one: are we holding up a mirror to ourselves and reflecting on how we can improve?

This isn’t about being harsh on yourself—it’s about stepping up, owning your flaws, and growing into the kind of leader others want to follow. So, grab a cuppa, settle in, and let’s talk about a few ideas to help you thrive in 2025.

Start With Trust

Trust is the foundation of any great team. Without it, you’re just a bunch of people exchanging emails and hoping for the best. But here’s the thing about trust: it’s not a one-off achievement. You don’t just earn it and move on; it’s something you have to nurture every day.

Think about it—are you the kind of leader who does what they say they’ll do? Do you show up consistently, not just when it’s convenient? If you want your team to trust you, they need to know you’ve got their back, especially when things get tough. And trust isn’t just about reliability—it’s about vulnerability, too. Admitting when you’re wrong, being honest about challenges, and asking for help when you need it.

As Brené Brown says, “Trust is earned in the smallest of moments.” Make those moments count.

Lead With Empathy

Empathy might sound a bit fluffy but don’t underestimate its power. Great leaders understand that their team members aren’t just cogs in a machine—they’re people with hopes, fears, and the occasional bad day.

Take time to understand your team’s challenges and motivations. If someone’s struggling, ask how you can help. If someone’s thriving, celebrate it. Leading with empathy doesn’t mean you have to fix everyone’s problems, but it does mean you need to care. Remember, empathy isn’t about being soft—it’s about being human. It’s what creates loyalty, fosters collaboration, and makes people feel valued. And when people feel valued, they’ll go above and beyond for you.

Motivational Intelligence: The Mindset Shift You Need

Now, let’s talk about mindset—specifically, motivational intelligence. At its core, it’s about understanding what drives you and your team. It’s recognising that obstacles aren’t barriers; they’re opportunities to grow. A leader with a strong motivational mindset doesn’t look for someone to blame when things go wrong. They don’t dwell on problems; they focus on solutions. It’s about shifting from “Why did this happen to me?” to “What can I learn from this?”

If you want to be the kind of leader who inspires others, you need to start with yourself. Take ownership of your mindset. Be the example your team needs.

As Viktor Frankl put it, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Stop Making Excuses

Here’s a hard truth: excuses don’t lead to growth. It’s easy to point fingers or blame circumstances when things don’t go to plan, but great leaders take responsibility. Ask yourself: are you owning your decisions, or are you finding ways to justify the mistakes? Taking accountability doesn’t mean beating yourself up; it means learning from what went wrong and doing better next time.

Now, speaking of excuses, this would be the perfect moment to plug my book, You Can Have Success or Excuses, You Cannot Have Both. (See what I did there?) But seriously, it’s true. You can’t build your dreams on a foundation of “coulda, shoulda, woulda.” Excuses might feel comforting in the short term, but in the long run, they hold you back.

And if you catch yourself thinking, “But it’s not my fault…” pause for a moment. Sure, sometimes things are genuinely out of your control. But there’s always something you can take responsibility for, even if it’s just how you respond.

Make Time for Self-Reflection

Finally, let’s talk about the mirror. No, not the one you avoided after the festive indulgence—the metaphorical one. Self-reflection is one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s arsenal. It’s about taking a step back to assess your actions, your decisions, and your impact on others. Are you leading with integrity? Are you empowering your team? Are you practising what you preach?

This isn’t a one-time exercise—it’s an ongoing habit. Maybe it’s a weekly journal, a walk where you think things over, or a quiet moment at the end of the day. Whatever it looks like for you, make it part of your routine.

As Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Let’s Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet

Leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Trust, empathy, mindset, accountability, and reflection—these aren’t just buzzwords; they’re the building blocks of authentic leadership. This year, commit to showing up as the best version of yourself, not just for your team but for you. And remember, leadership is a journey, not a destination. It’s OK to stumble as long as you keep moving forward.

At The Power Within Training, we’re here to help you navigate the ups and downs of leadership. Whether you need support, guidance, or just a reminder that you’re doing better than you think, we’ve got your back.

All our programmes – including our worlds-first Executive Diploma in Leading With Motivational Intelligence (MQ) and our Business Growth Academy – and our fully online Self-Leadership Development programme and multiple Executive, Team and Business Coaching have been created with passion and commitment to our mission.

Here’s to 2025—a year of growth, resilience, and impact. Let’s make it a good one.

James Fleming
The Power Within Training,
The Motivational Intelligence Company
[email protected]