Blueprint for a Peer Annual Review

A bit of background first:

At the end of each year I do an Annual Review with my clients. It’s for them to take stock of their year - the ups and the downs. And after a year like 2021 - this process brought so much to light. Hard won lessons learned, relationships that drain, strengths people didn’t realize they had.  

Zooming out really offers some incredible perspective.  And a great foundation for thinking about the year ahead.  

Seeing how powerful this process was for my clients - I took some time to go through it with a few of my coach friends this year.  We did a “peer annual review” and it has been eye opening and powerful.  

Without someone else listening, it can be hard to take the time to actually process a lot of the bigger and meatier questions in front of you. That is part of why I am such a believer in coaching. But I don’t think coaching is the only way to create the space for this kind of reflection.

Peer Annual Review Blueprint:

A peer annual review could be as simple as scheduling an hour or two with a close friend (or friends) and going through some questions about the year that just ended and the year ahead. Split the time and do 30 or 60 minutes each (and make sure to be almost 100% listener when it’s the other person’s time). 

Here are some example questions you that might be helpful:

What were some of the major milestones of 2021? What made them significant?

What am I most proud of personally and professionally over the past year?

What held me back last year?

When was I most alive or “in flow”?

Who supported me and lifted me up last year?

What relationship(s) was/were a drain?

How would you describe the year in 3-5 words?

This then puts you in a great place to start thinking about the year ahead.  What might you accomplish?  Here are some questions you might use for that conversation:

What goals or intentions do I have for the year?

What do I want to learn?

What or who do I need to walk away from?

What or who do I want to spend more time with? 

How will I step out of my comfort zone in 2022?

How will I know it was a good year looking back from January 1st 2023?

I'd love to hear how it goes if you try something like this. Did you write it down? When or how will you check in on it?