Editor’s note: Going back through some of the Fordyce Letter archives, I discovered Paul Hawkinson’s resolutions for managers for the year 2004. As you will read, these resolutions are timeless and certainly apply today as much as they did seven years ago. I proudly share them with you today as part of the Best of Fordyce – may they inspire you to make 2011 your best year yet!

1. I will do more for my productive consultants and less for those who are just taking up space
2. I pledge to set optimistic, but realistic, goals for my firm and my consultants.
3. I promise to stop listening to economic doom and gloomers and other assorted naysayers.
4. I will make every effort to regularly provide training materials to my consultants and to terminate those who won’t take advantage of them.
5. I will constantly remind myself and my consultants that our primary thrust is not people-placing, but problem solving. Success always follows.
6. I vow to treat employers with the respect they deserve but won’t forget that in our business, the customer isn’t always right, and I will not work with those who try to foist unworkable schemes upon my firm or my consultants.
7. I will work for the good of the entire business, either personally or through active participation in industry associations.
8. I will not demean my competitors because by doing so, I debase and dishonor the entire business I’m in.
9. I will respect my consultants since they are the foundation for my success.
10. I will be proud of what I do for a living.