Why Your Leadership Goals Failed This Year (And Why It's Not Your Fault)
It's the third week of February. You're in back-to-back meetings, putting out fires. Suddenly, you remember: weren't you supposed to be delegating more by now? Giving better feedback? Having those hard conversations?
Let's be honest about something most leaders won't admit out loud: your leadership goals for this year probably didn't stick.
Maybe you started January with energy. You were going to have better one-on-ones. You were going to stop working weekends. You were going to address that conflict you've been avoiding. You meant it.
So what happened?
If you're like most leaders, you're blaming yourself. Not enough discipline. Not enough time. Not enough willpower. But here's the thing: your goals didn't fail because you're weak. They failed because you were set up to fail from the start.
The System Is Broken, Not You
Nearly 80% of New Year's resolutions fail. Research from Psychology Professor Dr. Gail Matthews shows that leaders who simply think about their goals have only a 43% success rate. That's barely better than a coin flip.
The problem isn't your motivation. The problem is that most leaders treat goal-setting like it's a mental exercise. You think about what you want to change. Maybe you mention it to someone. Then you go back to putting out fires and expect your brain to somehow remember to be different.
Your brain doesn't work that way.
Why Writing It Down Changes Everything
When you write something down, you're not just recording it. You're actually changing how your brain processes that information. Neuropsychologists call this the "generation effect." When you generate material yourself (like writing it down), you remember it 1.2 to 1.4 times better than if you just read it or thought about it.
When you write "I will give my team members decision-making authority in their areas of expertise," you have to think through what that actually looks like. What does "decision-making authority" mean? What are their "areas of expertise"? You're not just stating a goal. You're building the neural pathways to make it happen.
But here's where it gets uncomfortable. Most leaders understand this intellectually. You know writing things down works. You probably even make your team members write down their goals.
The Bob Problem
So, about Bob. You probably set goals for Bob this year. Performance goals. Development goals. You might have even written them down in your HR system.
Now here's the uncomfortable question: Did you set goals for yourself as Bob's leader?
Most leaders don't. We set detailed performance expectations for our team members, but we wing it when it comes to our own development. We say things like, "I need to be a better listener" or "I should delegate more," and we think that's enough.
It's not enough. And your team can tell when you're winging it.
The Missing Piece: Accountability
Here's the most powerful finding from Matthews's research: 76% of leaders who wrote down their goals, created action plans, AND shared weekly progress updates with a supportive colleague successfully achieved their goals.
Seventy-six percent. That's 33 percentage points higher than leaders who just thought about their goals.
Why does accountability work? Because it creates what we call The Delta Method in action: Awareness (you wrote it down) + Desire (you understand why it matters) + Commitment (you created action steps) + Practice (weekly check-ins keep you doing the work). It's a system that doesn't rely on your memory or willpower alone.
Writing down your goal gets you through Awareness. But Awareness without action is just a fancy to-do list. You need the whole system.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Let's make this concrete. Instead of a vague goal like "be a better delegator," try this:
Written Goal: By March 1, I will delegate ownership of the Q1 budget review to Sarah, including the authority to make spending decisions up to $10,000 without my approval.
Action Commitments:
Week 1: Schedule meeting with Sarah to discuss transition
Week 2: Review budget process together
Week 3: Shadow her through one cycle
Week 4: Step back and let her lead
Accountability: Every Friday, I'll update my leadership peer group on how I'm stepping back.
See the difference? That's not wishful thinking. That's a system.
If you're reading this and thinking, 'I've never done goal-setting like this before,' you're not alone. Most leaders haven't. That's the point. This isn't about what you did wrong. It's about what you weren't taught.
Your Fresh Start Starts Now
Your goals didn't fail this year because you're not capable. They failed because you were using a broken approach. You were relying on willpower instead of systems. You were keeping goals in your head instead of making them visible. You were trying to do it alone instead of building accountability.
Ready to try a system that actually works? Join the Fresh Start Challenge, a free resource designed to help you write goals that stick. Access the Fresh Start Challenge now.
Your goals didn't fail because you're weak. They failed because you were working alone with a broken process. You don't need to figure this out alone. Contact us to jump start your new year with goals that will successfully stick. Together, we can make an impact.