Watching the Seahawks battle against the Minnesota Vikings today made me think of other situations in life. Here they were, highly touted, favored to win, and yet down by 3 field goals at the half. We've all been there in life. Working as hard as we think we can, only to fail to achieve our goals. Maybe someone else got that job you wanted, or your competitor got the contract you sought, or your organization is losing market share to that company across town. It's easy to get down and despair. And the Seahawks could have easily crumbled under such a situation. But there are leaders on that team that made certain that didn't happen.

Coach Carroll, I'm sure, was in that locker room at halftime building up his team, reminding them each of the gifts they brought, of previous wins and encouraging them to get out there in the second half and be the team he knows they are. Russell Wilson, was no doubt shouldering the blame, but promising to give more in the second half. And other leaders like Richard Sherman were doing their best to pump everyone up and remind them of what they have done so far, what was at stake, and how they've overcome obstacles before.

Yes, this team, down 9 - 0, came out in the second half and played the game with confidence and energy, showing everyone just what they are capable of. Even to the last few seconds. We'll never know exactly what was said on the line of scrimmage between the players, but I'll bet the Seahawks were psyching the kicker out, reminding him of what they can do, and the kicker got rattled and missed an easy field goal, assuring the Seahawks the win. Yes, they fought back, with grit, confidence and skill.

Great leaders continue to build their team up, not berate them and break them down. Whether it's acknowledging what each person brings to the team, or listening and respecting their ideas, they are humble enough to know that each person in their organization brings special skills and talents. They let their employees suggest solutions, take risks and stretch, growing along the way. So when times are difficult, or your organization is challenged in some way, you use the strength of your team to help everyone move past the difficult times and come out stronger and more successful on the other side. Just like the Seahawks, down 9 - 0 at halftime, but victorious at the end of the game.

While driving yesterday, I heard a radio contest where the question was, “What is the #1 New Year’s Resolution?”  The answer was not what I expected. It wasn’t to lose weight, or get organized, or find a healthy relationship, even though those are all commendable resolutions. No, the #1 resolution was “find a new job”. As a career coach, that piqued my interest, so I started doing some research. While I am more a believer in setting goals for each new year, 55% of Americans do make New Year’s Resolutions. So, whether you’ve made a resolution or set a goal, this article is for anyone considering a new job!

Let’s look at some of the facts. Real Money projects full employment in 2016, defined as an unemployment level less than 4.6%. That is certainly good news! Manpower, conducted a survey of US companies asking what their estimated 2016 employment levels were. Of those responding, 20% plan to increase the number of jobs in their companies and 70% reported maintaining current level of employees. While this latter number may not have you jumping for joy, let’s add another contributing factor: baby boomers.

Yes, US News and World Reports stated that there are over 40 million Americans age 65 or older, roughly 13% of the US population. Of those turning 65 years old in 2016, 65% will retire this year. That’s a lot of jobs being vacated. So, those companies planning to maintain employment levels? They’ll need to hire replacements. This bodes well for job seekers.

I recently blogged about making this kind of change in the new year. Why not get a fresh start? Companies have brand new strategic plans with shiny new budgets and positions ready to fill to meet those goals. If you’re one of the many people either stuck in your current job, ready for a change, or have a newly minted career path, get to work now. Seize the day and revise that resume, identify target companies and network, network, network.

I’m so excited about 2016. Few New Years have ever had me feeling this level of positive energy. I hope you realize your dreams, succeed with those resolutions, and realize your potential in 2016!