Belt out a rendition of Auld Lang Syne, tear the cellophane off your new calendars and get your resolutions ready… because 2021 is finally here!

In many of our lifetimes, never has the turn of the year been welcomed with such open arms.

Most years, the charm of the clock that signals midnight is cheered and by some, toasted with a drink. However, this year it seemed as though we were cheering and toasting with a cocktail of relief, excitement and optimism.

And why not?

2020 was not all bad, but it should not prove to be a tough act to follow.

Over here at Excel – Our response to the ever-changing circumstances mean that we are hitting 2021 with a real feeling of pride and confidence. Together, we made a year that many professionally, would rather forget… worth remembering, and we are all fully committed to using 2020 as a platform for continued success.

From the start, we put a real emphasis on maintaining togetherness during an era of isolation. As a close-knit group, we did not want to lose the team spirit that you felt buzz as soon as you walk through the office front door, as it was the fuel behind much of what we achieve.

We set out regular team get togethers, some with specific purpose, some as just socials. All however playing a huge part in ensuring that we kept the energy flowing. When the laws allowed and restrictions eased, we even scheduled time to meet safely and see each other… face to face… in the flesh… it felt very strange!

We can now look back on the last twelve months and cherish of all the time we spent working together with our fantastic clients and appreciate all the new relationships that have been built with people around the world.

The tipping of the scales from in-person workshops supplemented by live virtual learning, to completely virtual learning journeys was unexpected, yet extremely valuable. It gave us the opportunity to experiment, learn, and to hone our virtual skills, ultimately resulting in developing our offering into something we and our clients are hugely confident in and that is indeed delivering phenomenal results.

Setting our sights on 2021, we are super excited at the prospect of blending these virtual learning journeys with face to face workshops at some point in the future for programmes that really benefit from that kind of interaction. Of course, this will not be happening until it is safe to do so, however we cannot wait for the chance to bring these two truly impactful elements of our offering together to create something unforgettable.

We are also going to build on the momentum developed in 2020 by continuing to run as a fully virtual team. This was nothing unusual for Excel prior to the pandemic as our amazing team is based around the globe. We do look forward to having the option of scheduling regular meet-ups in which we can all gather and work together in person when safe! Maybe even with a drink or two…

We are continually working to develop ways to ensure that everyone gets their fill of daily casual social interaction, like a typical chat in an office kitchen. We’ve got lots of ideas and at the moment the important thing is to keep mixing it up to prevent zoom fatigue. Once we figure out a long-term approach, we will let you all know… just give us credit when you use the idea. Also, we will have no shame in stealing your ideas if you already have one so please do drop us a line 😊.

You are also the biggest reason why this year is going to be incredible, as we would be nothing without the people that interact with us. Whether you’re a client, participant, fellow L&D professional, or even if you are reading this post from your sofa and are just interested in the topic.

All of us here at Excel wish you a tremendously healthy and successful 2021! Let’s go make it a good one!

Thanks 

Alex

P.S. If you would like to discuss any of your learning & development challenges for 2021, call us on +44(0) 1628488 854. 

About Excel Communications     

Excel Communications is a learning and development consultancy based near London in the U.K. For more than 30 years; we have been collaborating with clients across the globe.  

Partnering with Excel empowers you to evolve your people and business by fuelling a love for learning.   

We work with you to create unforgettably, customised learning experiences to achieve your vision of success and growth, with tangible results.   

View our case studies here.   

We have a team of expert trainers delivering programmes across five continents in multiple languages. Call us now on +44 (0) 1628 488 854.   

Important   

If you would like to watch our leadership masterclass recordings, you can access the latest leadership complimentary guide here.