This time of year, there are always resolutions about this and that floating around for the new year, the things we say we are going to do better. It’s just the same with me, but I always start by taking a good look in the rear view mirror. What could I have done different here at the company, in light of the lessons learned the last 12 months?

My father worked his entire career in the marketing department at Southern Bell. One of the things he would always tell me is this: “Qualify your prospective opportunities and do not take them at first face value. Dig a little deeper when you can, and determine the quality and probability.” 

Over the course of the last 12 months, it seemed we had more than our fair share of projects that did not start on time. Even with these late starts, we had an excellent year, thanks to our folks’ hard work.

So for 2018, my resolution is to keep my father’s sage advice top of mind and also to remember that success is rarely an individual sport. Make it a priority to surround yourself with the right people, and reward their achievements and loyalty when you are in a position to do so. People rarely succeed alone for long, at least in my experience.

And as Willie Six, a wise man from The University of the South, Sewanee, once said, “The best year is comin’ up.“