As much as a new year can inspire a fresh start, sometimes the opposite happens. Some people may feel unmotivated to jump start the new year and will lay low as long as think that no one notices.

It’s worth exploring whether such malaise is affecting any of your staff, and if it is, you need to help them reframe and redirect. The longer the discontent, the more likely it can develop into a negative pattern.

People get stuck for any number of reasons, but when you dig deep, it’s usually something related to a crisis of confidence.

The best way to them move out of this is to help them recall past scenarios where they have been successful – even triumphant – in their efforts.

As a manager, you can guide someone by helping the person remember a vivid success from the past. The goal is to recapture the feeling that accompanied that achievement.

When the person recalls the underlying feeling of success, she then has the ability to trigger that feeling as a means to get unstuck.

Your ability to encourage and guide the person through this rediscovery reinforces the successful feeling because she can articulate it to someone else (you) instead of possibly lapsing into negative self-talk by only talking to herself.

In other words, your conversation creates an anchor for that positive image, which can then be recalled and repeated.

A fast start at the beginning of the year will go a long way to generate meaningful results for your company. Keep an eye out for those who may be stuck, and help them nip it in the bud.

Header image by Laker/Pexels.