Five New Year Resolutions for Business Success in 2025: Insights from Leading Thinkers and Innovators As businesses prepare for the challenges and opportunities of 2025, the New Year is a perfect time for leaders to recalibrate their strategies and set intentions for success.

In a rapidly evolving world shaped by economic uncertainty, technological innovation, and shifting workforce dynamics, forward-thinking resolutions can set the tone for a transformative year. Here are five expert-recommended resolutions for business leaders:

1. Keep focused on the numbers that really matter to your business

The path to business success begins by understanding that the numbers that matter most aren't always the ones you expect. "As entrepreneurs, we build our businesses to fulfil a specific purpose, which is often very personal to each of us. This purpose is the reason we start our business and acts as our North Star to guide our business journey," explains Sara Daw, Group CEO of The CFO Centre and The Liberti Group and author of Strategy and Leadership as Service.

While financial goals are vital, Daw reminds us not to lose sight of other key metrics that reflect the essence of our business's mission. "The numbers that really matter are the Key KPIs that we use to give context and meaning to the whole business – why it exists and what matters to those who are part of it," she says. Whether it's the number of plastic bottles eradicated, passion projects pursued, or margins outperformed, she recommends finding your "North Star" numbers "to anchor your long-term business ethos and focus for 2025 and beyond."

2. Pay more attention to endings

Closures, whether of projects, roles, or initiatives, deserve as much energy and care as beginnings, says Philip Atkinson, organisational coach and the author of Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from Inside a Hive. "In life, and in particular at New Year, it is easy to invest a lot of energy into starting new things. We are good at starting projects, new jobs, new habits, new initiatives. We tend to be less good at closing anything."

Unfinished work or poorly closed chapters can drain resources and hold you back, much like leaving too many apps open on a laptop. "If we close one initiative well, and celebrate what we have achieved and learnt, then we are ready to open the next one from a good position," Atkinson explains.

He recommends closing 2024 with care to create space for fresh opportunities in 2025. "Let's not keep all our apps open on our desktop," he adds.

3. Embrace rather than fight your introversion

"Introverts have been told for a long time that in order to get ahead, they need to be more like extroverts – talk more, more often, talk to more people, act immediately, never express doubt, socialise more," says Sissel Heiberg, author of Quiet Leader: What you can learn from the power of introverts.

For introverts, trying to fit this mould can be draining, robbing energy from the activities that truly matter, such as building and advocating for your business.

"If you prefer time to prepare before an important meeting, schedule in that time without thinking that it means you're not good enough to do things on the fly. If you think an introvert can't be good at sales, remember that one of your many strengths is listening and observing; use those to learn more about your customers' problems and show them how your products can help," Heiberg advises.

She encourages introverts to stop fighting against their nature, "The elements of who you are that you've been fighting against, are not your weaknesses, they're your strengths."

4. Cultivate 'a neuro-affirmative' workplace for everyone

Inclusive workplaces thrive when they recognize and embrace the diverse ways people think and work.

"We are all neurodiverse as we all think differently from one another. Instead of reserving flexibility for those with formal labels of medical conditions, start conversations about what changes could help everybody to feel as though they belong, exactly as they are," says Leanne Maskell, founder of ADHD Works and the author of ADHD Works at Work.

Shifting the focus from rigid, check-box policies and to genuine conversations about individual needs can transform workplace culture.

"This moves away from legalistic terms, fear, and bureaucracy, towards trust, empowerment, and support," she explains. By fostering psychological safety, offering training to everyone on empathy and clear communication, leaders can create more loyal, engaged and productive teams – things that Leanne says "have never been more important as our world becomes increasingly polarised."

"Business leaders have the power to shift the culture by truly engaging in conversations about change at an individual level, instead of outsourcing this to HR or generic employee surveys," Maskell emphasizes.

5. Prepare your team for the future by building AI-complementary skills

Businesses everywhere are grappling with the question of how best to adopt the latest technology, like AI and automation, but Jeremy Campbell, CEO of Black Isle Group and creator of Nudge.ai, an AI-powered learning development tool, says the onus should be on "preparing your workforce to work with it."

"The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report highlights a critical insight: while AI automates tasks, the skills that truly matter for the future are uniquely human", something he calls 'meta skills'. These include creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, communication skills and so on.

To help make 2025 the year you actively invest in both human and AI skills, Campbell recommends: "Start with something tangible: dedicate one hour a week to 'future-skills Fridays', where employees can focus on developing collaboration, creative thinking, or problem-solving."

"Pair this with active exploration of AI tools—commit to spending an hour each week learning and experimenting with platforms like ChatGPT. Test how they can streamline workflows, spark innovation, or solve specific challenges in your business."

He emphasises that success in the new year isn't just about technology, but leadership to. "Lead by example, showing your team how to blend human ingenuity with AI-driven solutions. Those who embrace AI and elevate human skills will be the ones defining the future—not just keeping up with it."

As we step into 2025, finding practical and impactful ways to align your business with its core values, foster innovation, make the most of new technologies and create meaningful growth will be the key to a successful year.