If you’re a manager, director, vice president, or even the president of your company, I have a simple question for you. Who is responsible for the success of your team and/or organization? Most of you have probably responded, “That’s easy, we all are – after all, I can’t do it myself!” Good answer. Unfortunately, in practice, research shows that people in a managerial or leadership role regularly take on too much responsibility for the success of their areas, and this predictable behavior has its consequences. Those at the top of the “system,” whether we define the system as being a business intelligence (BI) team, a task force, a division, or even the entire organization, often feel burdened, exhausted, and overwhelmed. And what’s worse, their behavior may be limiting the success of their team.

It’s that time of year again where the old year ends and the new year begins. It’s been a tough 2008 for many people, and 2009 holds the promise of both excitement and uncertainty. Are you optimistic or pessimistic? It’s been said that optimists stay up on New Year’s Eve to welcome in the new year; pessimists stay up on New Year’s Eve to make sure the old year goes away. There’s a bit of truth in both perspectives, and they are not mutually exclusive. Regardless of your situation, this is an opportunity to look both backward and forward to determine what you want to do differently in the new year.