Dear reader, I care, so I honestly offer you this counsel: quit trying to get better results doing things the same way. Personal development should precede any other type of developments because it’s foundational. So, to get better results in 2026, pay attention to who you are becoming or who you have become. Check if it fits the new level you aspire to? If it does not, then settle down and grow your ‘selfworth’. Get a training, coaching, or an accountability partnership. It is pure foolhardy to set goals aimed at conquering the world without first mastering yourself.
In this piece, you are shown a few weak traits that can cast aspersions on your 2026 career drives, especially because every therapy process starts with identifying the issues.
Caveat: the list is not exhaustive! You can quote me on this – You are yourselves’ confirmed enemy if you have habitually done some or any of the following and plan to continue them in the new year.
Some official putoffs to put off
- Scheming yourself out of an official redeployment.
- Serving with eye service not high service.
- Always wearing your emotions on your face in the office.
- Habitually arriving late to in-house meetings, especially with managers.
- Showing up for a brief from your superior without a notepad to take notes.
- Forgetting exact briefs you were given or their execution timelines.
- Needing to be reminded about your tasks by your superior or supervisor.
- Prioritising friendliness over professionalism as a leader/manager or leader to be.
- Making flippant and regular excuses why projects cannot be done or delivered within the stimulated timelines/deadlines.
- Acting openly or secretly disloyal to your superiors or the organisation.
- As a leader/manager, failing to listen to perceived ‘foolish ideas’ from your team member.
- Always arrogating the wins from your team’s efforts to yourself before those that matter.
- Championing or participating in the ‘office gossip and rumour mill’.
- Failing to understand your office’s politics or playing naive.
- Playing office politics dirty, when you do.
- As a leader/manager, always absolving yourself of the blames, gaps or slips of the team you lead.
- Often making a good point in a brash way at meetings or in the presence of top management team for ‘populace appeal’.
- Always complaining about everything in the organisation, without ever putting forward a commendation.
- Exiting your current employment/employer mindlessly, flippantly or carefreely.
- Never seizing any opportunity to show gratitude to your employer or management.
- Following a bandwagon of ‘unscrupulous persons’ to constantly create tension in your organisation.
- Never getting interested in any task outside your job descriptions, in the name of not wanting to be ‘used’.
- Fraudulently escalating the costs on company tasks, projects or assignments in your care.
- Saving your best outfits for other locations, occasions or functions, but dressing shabbily to the office; where you made the money to buy the wares.
- Having no rhythm or pattern to your corporate outlooks/outfits – never predictable.
- Never wanting to be seen or heard under the excuse of ‘temperament of shyness.’
- Doing work only in ways that work appeals to you rather than how your organisation appreciates or rewards work.
- Building a reputation as a team member who lacks time management skills – perpetually late at turning in tasks.
- Never available for in-house training opportunities or failing to maximise them.
- Never personally paying your way to any career or personal development training.
- Going a whole year without attending any continuous programme of development.
I trust this helps. The checklist is endless. Have a happy New Year.
I’m Bosede Olusola-Obasa, Character Development Trainer, Best Workplace Attitudes Advisor, Trust Culture Strategist.
In 2026, I look forward to working with your team and management on critical business impact areas of training such as: best workplace attitudes and productivity; character-edge leadership development, customer service and sales dynamics, corporate culture creation and brand trust mastery.
This is how I sign out of 2025. Keep working at becoming the improved version of you daily.
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