By Tim Huff
President & CEO, TLG
Picture this: You’re the quarterback. You’ve just spent two quarters grinding it out on the football field… dodging surprises, making tough calls, rallying the team. You’re a little banged up, maybe behind on the scoreboard, but you’re still in the game. And now… it’s halftime.
You jog into the locker room, not just to take a much-needed break, but to regroup. This is where leaders can really earn their stripes. The halftime break isn’t about that one bad play in the last minute of the second quarter, it’s about taking a holistic perspective. What’s working? What needs to change? And how will you lead the charge in the second half?
That’s exactly where we are on the calendar. Six months down. Six to go. Time to huddle up, reset your goals, and get ready to come out swinging!
The Mid-Year Pause: Why It Matters
January was full of energy, vision boards, and fresh goals. But by June, real life has kicked in, with all the fun things that make our working lives exciting: shifting priorities, unexpected roadblocks, personnel issues, etc. This is the moment to pause and ask:
- What goals did I set back in January?
- What’s been accomplished?
- What’s stalled, and why?
- What still matters most?
Too often, we treat goals like stone tablets, etched in January, never to be touched again. But effective leaders know that goals are more like clay. They’re meant to be shaped, molded, and refined as we go.
As Lauren Kuykendall and Valarie Tiberius (2024) mention in their Harvard Business Review article, “Don’t set your goals in stone—mold them like clay.” Mid-year is the perfect time to do just that.
Mold, Don’t Fold
Revising a goal isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign of awareness.
Maybe the original target was too ambitious given current resources. Maybe a new opportunity emerged that changed the game. Or maybe a goal that once seemed urgent no longer aligns with your bigger purpose. That’s not a problem, that’s progress. Because static goals often lead to stale teams. Adaptive goals, on the other hand, keep people engaged, aligned, and energized.
Ask yourself:
- What needs reshaping?
- What can be simplified?
- What will I double down on?
From Clarity to Momentum
Written goals increase the chance of success and sharing them with others boosts follow-through even more. That’s not just theory, it’s brain science. Goals give your brain something to work toward and sharing them creates accountability and connection.
But beyond the data, the power of goal-setting lies in focus and momentum. Especially when you start small. Small wins create psychological momentum… they build confidence, reinforce progress, and make the next step easier to take. When you focus on consistent, achievable actions, even the biggest goals start to feel within reach.
Break down big goals into bite-sized actions. Use visuals like dashboards, trackers, or even a sticky note on your monitor to stay focused. And don’t forget to celebrate small wins along the way. The path to big things often starts with doing one small thing well and consistently.
Halftime Huddle: Questions to Reignite Your Team
If you’re a leader, now is the perfect time for a quick team reset. A full-day off-site retreat would be ideal, but even a short meeting can be effective. Just carve out 30 minutes and ask:
- What’s one thing we’re proud of from the first half of the year?
- Where did we stall, and what got in our way?
- What goals still feel meaningful and exciting?
- What needs to be revised or even removed?
- What’s one bold step we’ll take in July to build momentum?
These conversations aren’t just about performance. They build trust, transparency, and shared ownership.
Lead the Second Half Like a Coach
The best leaders think like great coaches at halftime. They don’t dwell on mistakes or toss out the game plan. They help the team zoom out, recalibrate, and walk back on the field with purpose.
So, take the opportunity the middle of the year brings to take a breath! Pull out your goals and get honest about what’s real and what’s possible. And then recommit, with clarity and courage, to your second half.
Because the scoreboard doesn’t tell the full story… what you do next does!
Thanks,
Tim
Reference:
Kuykendall, L., & Tiberius, V. (2024, July 24). Don’t set your goals in stone — mold them like clay. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2024/07/dont-set-your-goals-in-stone-mold-them-like-clay
