As a new year approaches, leaders often feel pressure to come in with new goals, new initiatives, and new plans. Over time, I have learned that the most productive planning seasons do not begin with direction.
They begin with listening.
Before we decide what to change or where to grow, we owe it to our teams and to the business to slow down and understand what is already working. That understanding rarely comes from spreadsheets alone. It comes from conversations with the people closest to the work.
Some of the most valuable insights I receive each year come from our leaders who are deeply engaged, emotionally aware, and honest about what they see. They notice patterns, feel the energy of the team, and understand how decisions actually land day to day.
Leila Hormozi put it simply when she said, “We hire people that are good people. People overvalue technical skills and undervalue social and emotional skills.” That idea resonates deeply with me, especially when it comes to planning for the future.
Technical skill helps you execute. Emotional intelligence helps you adapt.
When we review the past year, I try to focus on three things with our leadership team. Where did we gain momentum? Where did we lose energy? And where are we asking people to work against the system instead of with it?
The answers to those questions usually come from emotionally intelligent leaders who can speak candidly without turning feedback into criticism. They understand how to separate what is broken from what is simply uncomfortable. That distinction matters. Not everything that feels hard is wrong. But when the same friction shows up repeatedly, it deserves attention.
Planning the year ahead is not about reinventing everything. In fact, most growth comes from protecting what works and removing what slows our already incredible team down. That requires trust. It requires leaders who feel safe telling the truth. And it requires a culture where feedback is seen as a contribution, not a threat.
One mistake I see often is leaders overcorrecting. They abandon systems that are effective because a few things feel imperfect. Instead, I believe in tightening, refining, and reinforcing. When something is working, our job is to understand why. When something is not, our job is to change it without assigning blame.
Emotionally intelligent employees are essential to that process. They help translate strategy into reality. They understand how change affects morale, performance, and retention. They can tell you not just what is happening, but how it feels to the people executing the plan.
As we plan the year ahead, I am less interested in dramatic shifts and more focused on alignment. Are we giving our best people the clarity and support they need? Are we listening closely enough to the signals inside the business? Are we building plans that honor both performance and people?
Here are some tips:
Create structured feedback moments, not open-ended complaints. Ask specific questions tied to real work: “What slows you down?” “What feels unnecessary?” “What helps you do your best work?” Clear prompts lead to useful insight.
Separate feedback from performance reviews. People speak more honestly when feedback is not tied to compensation, promotions, or formal evaluations. Make it clear when a conversation is about improvement, not judgment.
Ask for feedback closest to the work. Your best insight often comes from people doing the work every day, not only from senior leaders. Include frontline team members when discussing what is working and what is not.
Listen without defending existing systems. If someone points out friction in a process you designed, resist the urge to explain why it exists. First acknowledge the experience. Understanding always comes before improvement.
Look for patterns, not isolated comments. One opinion is perspective. Repeated themes across roles or locations point to systems that need attention. Track feedback over time so decisions are data-informed, not reactive.
Close the loop visibly. When feedback leads to a change, say so. When it does not, explain why. Trust grows when people see their input respected, even if every idea is not implemented.
Focus feedback on behaviors and systems, not personalities. Emotionally intelligent teams thrive when conversations stay centered on workflows, communication, and support structures rather than blame.
Invite feedback from people who challenge you respectfully. Leaders often hear agreement more than truth. Make space for voices that think differently but care deeply about the business and the people inside it.
Use feedback to refine what already works. Do not only ask what is broken. Ask what helps people succeed so you can protect and expand those systems in the new year.
Revisit feedback quarterly, not annually. Growth is iterative. Frequent reflection allows small corrections that prevent large problems later.
Sustainable growth comes from consistency, not urgency. From empathy, not ego. From leaders who value emotional awareness as much as operational skill.
The goal is not just to grow the business. The goal is to grow the business in a way that the people inside it can grow too. That is how you build momentum that lasts beyond a single year.
And it starts by listening well.