Want your team to value feedback? Be strategic with it

It was the Stoic philosopher Seneca who observed "Every new beginning comes from another beginning's end," which can help leaders see the possibilities when something comes to a close and be ready to pivot and grow, writes speaker and leadership expert Skip Prichard. "Whether you're stepping away from a role, retiring an old strategy, or letting go of habits that no longer serve you, remember that every new beginning waits on the other side," Prichard writes.

Put it into practice: When a chapter in your life as a leader closes, take time to celebrate and reflect on the lessons you've learned and remember your team is watching how you handle transitions, Prichard writes. "Show them that endings are natural -- and that they bring opportunities for growth."

Your team will appreciate your feedback when it lays out clear expectations for them, praises specific behaviors that lead to success and creates "moments of genuine connection and growth," writes executive leadership coach Lolly Daskal. "Leaders who master this critical skill create measurable improvement in both individual performance and organizational effectiveness," Daskal notes.

Put it into practice: Feedback can become a catalyst for growth when it's offered regularly instead of on a one-time or infrequent basis, Daskal writes. "When feedback becomes a bridge to excellence rather than a critique of the present, both leaders and teams discover new heights of achievement."

One-on-one meetings are a staple in work culture, but they may be unnecessary if they lack an agenda, become a checkbox exercise or are redundant due to constant communication through other channels. Make one-on-ones count by providing team members clear guidance and support and use them to collect data for performance reviews and to build a deeper relationship, say leadership experts.

Put it into practice: Change up how you conduct one-on-one meetings by making them short, less frequent and driven by the concerns of the employee instead of what you may want to discuss, says Wendra Johnson, the VP of HR technology at employee benefits provider Unum. "[I]t's very empowering for the individual; it builds accountability and requires their engagement."

Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100, significantly boosted Habitat for Humanity's profile by actively participating in projects, starting with a major renovation in New York City in 1984. Rob DeRocker, the charity's former executive director for New York, says the former president's humility struck him. "So here you had a guy who had been carrying the nuclear football just 39 months prior to that, and now he's down on his hands and knees in a slum in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, hammering plywood onto a floor."

There will be some celestial fireworks to enjoy on January 2 into the early hours of January 3 as the Quadrantid meteor shower hits its peak, with observers able to see between 60 and 200 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. This high meteor count makes it a spectacular event for stargazers, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, where they are most visible, according to NASA.

Former President Jimmy Carter's life was one of humility, resilience, integrity and servant leadership, which holds plenty of lessons for leaders today.

Even though it cost him politically, Carter always emphasized transparency and honesty. He embraced humility and continued his public service after leaving office by working with charities such as Habitat for Humanity and participating in conflict resolution and global health through the Carter Center.

From Carter, leaders can learn to prioritize doing the right thing over the politically expedient thing and focus on helping those around them.

Carter also focused on human rights and dignity and led with an eye toward creating peace by brokering peace between Israel and Egypt. He also demonstrated a love of life-long learning, showing that the best leaders can grow and adapt.

In 1975, in his book "Why Not The Best," Carter wrote: "We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person, there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment."

A leader's job, according to Carter, is to recognize the nobility of everyone and help them reach that self-fulfillment. That's how he lived his life.

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