A Mid-Year Reflection for Leaders Navigating the Unexpected
You started 2025 with a plan.
Maybe even a color-coded one. A word of the year. A fresh planner. A set of goals that made you feel like this was finally going to be your year.
But now it’s June… and things feel a tad messier than you expected.
Maybe the promotion you were told was on the horizon has gone quiet.
Maybe your team is behind on goals, and no one’s quite sure how to talk about it.
Maybe your pipeline is slow, your calendar is chaotic, or your energy is running low—and you’re wondering what happened to all that January clarity.
Here’s the truth: you’re not alone.
Plans falter. Priorities shift. Promises go unspoken.
That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re being invited into something harder and more honest: a pivot.
This post isn’t about reinventing everything—it’s about permission to pivot when the year you planned isn’t the year you’re living.
You’re not behind—you’re just being invited to lead in real time. And that starts with permission to pivot.
When the Year Isn’t Going According to Plan
Maybe you set a bold financial goal—and despite your best efforts, the numbers just aren’t there.
Maybe your supervisor hinted at a promotion, or at least a stretch opportunity… but now it’s June and you haven’t had a meaningful check-in since Q1.
Maybe your team started the year energized, but lately they’re running on fumes. Burnout is peeking around the corner, and you’re not sure how to turn the ship.
Or maybe the year has just… drifted. Quietly. Without any clear misstep, the spark is gone and the path feels fuzzy.
If any of that resonates—you’re not alone.
In fact, Gallup research shows that only 26% of employees strongly agree they’ve received meaningful feedback in the last six months. That’s a lot of people trying to hit moving targets with no real confirmation they’re even pointed in the right direction.
When communication breaks down and goals lose steam, it’s easy to second-guess everything: your effort, your strategy, your role.
But here’s the truth: you haven’t failed—things have just shifted.
And now you get to decide: Do I keep pushing forward the same way, or do I reset with intention?
Your Mid-Year Reset Plan
So whether you’re navigating your own slowdown—or leading a team that feels off-course—here’s how to reset your direction and finish strong.
Think of this as your ‘permission slip’ to take back the wheel—just with a new destination in mind.
1. Reflect: What Was the Plan Really About?
Before you rewrite the goal, take a step back and ask what you were really chasing.
Was the promotion about a title—or about being seen as a strategic contributor?
Was the big revenue goal about growth—or about proving you still had it after a tough Q4?
Clarity begins when we stop focusing on the outcome and get honest about the why behind the want.
That insight gives you something far more valuable than a checkbox—it gives you a compass.
2. Reframe: What’s Still in Your Control?
The truth is, some parts of your plan may be out of your hands.
But how you show up every day? That’s still yours.
You control your mindset, your presence, your conversations, and your leadership.
Ask yourself:
- Can I create more visibility or momentum with what I do have?
- Can I contribute in a way that feels meaningful—even if the big win is still out of reach?
- Can I help others move forward, even if I feel stuck?
This isn’t about settling. It’s about staying powerful in the places where you can still lead.
3. Reconnect: Don’t Wait for Direction—Start the Conversation
Sometimes we wait for someone else to give us a nudge, a status update, or permission to pivot. But that silence? It’s often unintentional—and fixable.
If you need clarity, go get it.
This could sound like:
“At the beginning of the year, we talked about some exciting goals and opportunities. I’d love to revisit those and see how they align with where we are now—and where I can contribute most in the second half of the year.”
You’re not demanding answers. You’re demonstrating initiative—and reminding others that you’re still invested, engaged, and ready.
If You’re Leading a Team: Someone Might Need You to Offer the Pivot
And if you’re not just leading yourself—but also responsible for others—your role in this pivot becomes even more powerful.
Someone on your team may be:
- quietly discouraged because their goals are off-track,
- wondering if anyone noticed the extra effort they’ve been putting in,
- or unsure how to talk about what’s changed without sounding negative.
Here’s how to help:
- Normalize the detour. It’s okay to acknowledge that goals shifted or expectations have changed.
- Have a real check-in. Not a performance review—a conversation. Ask: “What feels unclear right now? What would success look like for you this summer?”
- Coach the pivot. Help them shift from disappointment to possibility. Frame the second half of the year as a chance to realign, not retreat.
As a leader, your job isn’t to prevent pivots—it’s to help people move through them with clarity and confidence.
You’re Still in the Game
Mid-year doesn’t mean game over.
It means you’ve learned things.
You’ve tried, stretched, adapted.
And you’ve been tested in ways January-you couldn’t have predicted.
And now? You get to choose how you respond.
Do you shut down—or recommit with perspective?
Do you keep chasing an old version of the plan—or build a better one from where you are?
The plan changed. You didn’t fail.
You simply need permission to pivot—and now you have it.
This year isn’t over—it’s just getting interesting. So take a breath, reset your expectations, and pivot with purpose.
Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For 40 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to grow leaders, build teams, and drive results through great people strategy. Contact us to get proactive about expanding your company’s potential and stay up-to-date with our latest news and leadership development updates here.
By: Melissa Thompson
