Why the First Week of the Year Matters More Than You Think
There I was, feeling the familiar buzz of the first Monday of the year, ready to roll up my sleeves and kick off our AI Accelerator program planning and reminding customers to get registered, only to be greeted by a tsunami of out-of-office replies.
I’m not talking about a handful. I’m talking dozens of them, all saying some version of:
“Back January 12th!”
January 12th!!!
Now, I don’t want to be that person. You know, the one who thinks people should never unplug. That’s not me. I think time off is important, necessary even. Rest and recharge, with some holiday cheer sprinkled into it. Especially over the holidays.
Take your eggnog. I’m a hot chocolate type of girl myself. Take your tree, or trees in my case 😊. Take your time. I’m not judging yet.
But somewhere around the sixth or seventh auto-reply, I started having a moment.
Because here’s the thing.
This isn’t July.
This is not the lazy lull of mid-August.
This is the first Monday of the year.
And to me, that matters.
January Is a Leadership Checkpoint
The start of January is a leadership checkpoint. It’s the ignition switch on your strategy. It’s the tone-setter for the next twelve months.
If Q4 was about reflection and planning, Q1 is where the gears have to start turning.
We’re talking about:
- Clarifying goals with your team and getting buy-in
- Locking in final budgets
- Reinforcing the strategy you spent weeks building
- Customer outreach
- Team alignment
- And yes, kickoffs. The kind that actually motivates people
We had our first all-hands State of the Company this morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp. No pomp, no streamers, just energy and intention.
The calendar turned, and we showed up.
Why?
Because if you wait until mid-January to start, you’re already behind.
Leadership Doesn’t Turn Off with an Auto-Reply
Now, some of you might be on a beach in Bali, sipping something with a pineapple wedge. I’m not mad about that.
I just hope that behind those sunglasses, there’s a spark of planning happening.
Because leadership doesn’t switch off when the out-of-office goes on. If anything, this is when it matters most.
At our company, we have a two-day AI Accelerator event next week. It’s hands-on. It’s tactical. And it’s built to help MSPs implement AI tools that improve operations and generate revenue.
This isn’t a webinar.
This is sleeves-rolled-up work.
That’s how we start the year, by investing in both internal growth and real value for our customers.
Building When It’s Quiet
The week after that, we’re heading to India for our annual kickoff. We’re bringing our leaders together not just for strategy meetings, but for actual leadership development.
Because it’s not enough to set direction.
You’ve got to grow the people who are helping you get there.
And yes, this means some hustle over the holidays. It means tightening things up while others are still microwaving leftovers.
But for us, it works.
The quiet of late December is actually the best time to build.
No noise.
No distractions.
Just clarity.
The Question Isn’t Time Off. It’s Intention.
So, no judgment if you needed the extra days. Truly.
But if you lead a team, if you’re running a business, or if you’re someone who wants to do big things this year, ask yourself:
- How am I setting the tone?
- Am I clear on where we’re headed?
- Have I made space for my team to grow, or just for them to work?
The first week of January isn’t just a page on the calendar.
It’s the launchpad.
And even if you did take off on Monday, there’s still time to accelerate. Use this week to reset, reconnect, and remind your team what this year is all about.
Let’s lead like it’s January.
Happy New Year.
