It has been raining in the area. A lot. January was the wettest in the last 14 years. So it is no wonder my backyard is really muddy. With an 80 pound yellow lab, it is hard to keep the mud in the backyard and not in the house.

I knew there was quite a bit of work necessary this weekend to get it cleaned up. No amount of toweling seems to get it all. But, I was surprised when the sun came out and lit up my stairwell to see the mud drops all the way up the stairs to the second story. On the walls. Yikes! What a mess!

As hard as you try to stay on top of things, messes can creep in. The same happens in business. And it isn’t until a bright light shines on different parts of the business that you see some work is needed.

How are you shining a light through the business to see what is working well and what needs attention?

John Kerry was talking on the phone over the weekend, sharing his thoughts on what he would have to do to enter the presidential race. Nearby was an NBC news analyst who overheard the conversation and reported it. The reporting set off a series of tweets and statements that Kerry wasn’t considering a run.

While the prominence of Kerry resulted in coverage in the media, conversations in public are regularly overheard. Sometimes by people who are interested in the intelligence, and sometimes not.

The situation is a good reminder for leaders not to share confidential information in public, whether on the phone or in screens that can be read by anyone nearby. You never know who is listening or looking!

Over the holidays, I usually spend some time clearing out the clutter. This year was no exception. A trip to recycle old electronics, clearing out items I no longer use and getting my paperwork in order in advance of the tax season positioned me for a good start in 2020.

But I couldn’t help thinking as I went through everything, that I kept a bunch of articles and things to look at when I had time through the year. And guess what. They were never a priority and just created more work for me later. And a bit of mental overhang that I wasn’t getting to them.

In business and in life, unless something comes along that will really move the dial in making progress, don’t save it for later. If it isn’t a priority, move on. How will you keep the clutter down in 2020?

What were you doing in 2010? How did you go about life? It was probably very different that what you are doing and how you are living today. This morning I was speaking with someone who was working retail over the weekend. She remarked it was the slowest she has ever seen it in the store in the last decade. And the retail stats (including online purchases) were at record highs.

Things have changed a lot in the last decade. People and companies that have reinvented themselves are thriving today. Those that haven’t are struggling. As we get ready to enter 2020, how will you reinvent yourself to thrive this year?

Every now and again, a critter runs along my back fence and up into a very large cedar tree. And when my dog is out on the deck and sees the critter running along the fence to the tree, she feels the need to run to the tree and stand on her back legs attempting to get the critter in the tree. The opportunity for the adventure comes only twice a year or so. So when I call her to come, she is much more interested in the critter than a chew. Both options are appealing, but the critter in the tree is infrequent, so she wants that option.

That’s the thing in business, sometimes there are two appealing options, but you can only choose one. When that happens, sometimes it makes sense to choose the option that doesn’t come along all that often.

Panic was setting in. An all hands meeting was called and no details were shared. She was stressed as she shared her thoughts. What were they going to get in trouble for? Were they closing locations? Would they still have jobs?

As it turned out, the meeting was held every year. The other shoe didn’t drop. And there wasn’t anything extraordinary that came out of the meeting. Relief set in. It was an investment by the owner and the people. But there were no calls to action.

Eliminating the panic cycle from calling all hands meetings is easy to address. Regular (at least quarterly) communication by leadership sets an expectation that people will hear about what is going on in the business.  It gives people an opportunity to ask questions and clarify direction.

Are you communicating with people in your organization regularly? People want information and want to be part of what is going on. So, why not talk regularly and move the dial from panic to excitement.