Reflecting on 2024: Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Let’s take a look at today’s lesson

The lession focuses on practical communication in English, enabling participants to articulate their reflections effectively in professional contexts.

Lesson Key: (L) = Listening (U) = Understanding. (R) = Reading.

A roadmap for success: As the new year is starting, it’s a good time to evaluate our successes and challenges we faced in 2024.

In the business world, professionals often reflect on their yearly performance to identify areas for improvement and celebrate achievements. For instance, some executives highlight increased sales or successful project completions, while others focus on skills they developed, like leadership or communication.

Initial questions to consider.

What were the highlights of your year in 2024?
Did you achieve your professional goals?
How did you overcome any obstacles?
Were there any unexpected opportunities or successes in 2024?
How has 2024 helped you grow professionally?
What plans do you have for this year?

For many, challenges such as market changes, economic uncertainties, or personal setbacks shaped their year. However, these experiences often lead to growth. Companies also review their strategies, asking: Were our objectives met? Did we adapt well to unexpected changes?

Reflecting on the year’s lessons is not just about evaluating the past but also about planning for the future. Businesses might decide to invest in technology, train employees, or improve customer relationships.

Similarly, professionals can set personal goals, such as enhancing work-life balance or learning a new skill. By analysing 2024, we create a roadmap for success in 2025.

Let’s listen to Tom and what he as to say about the past year.

Transcript Tom speaking to his team in the afternoon.

Good afternoon, everyone. Reflecting on 2024, I can say it was a year of valuable lessons.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was navigating market uncertainties.

Early in the year, we dealt with supply chain disruptions that impacted our ability to meet deadlines. It required quick thinking and a lot of teamwork to find alternative solutions.

Another challenge was adapting to new technology in our operations. Implementing these changes was difficult at first, but they ultimately streamlined our processes. Despite these setbacks, we also celebrated successes, like securing key partnerships and improving customer satisfaction.

These experiences taught me the importance of resilience and being adaptable to change. Looking ahead to 2025, I’m confident we can use these lessons to achieve even more.

Thank you.

Keywords from Speech:

Term	Definition	Example Sentence	Portuguese Translation
Resilience	The ability to recover quickly from difficulties	“Resilience is essential during tough times.”	Resiliência
Streamline	To improve efficiency by simplifying processes	“We streamlined our workflow to save time.”	Simplificar
Disruption	An interruption that causes issues	“The supply chain disruption affected deliveries.”	Interrupção
Partnership	A business relationship for mutual benefit	“We formed a partnership with a leading supplier.”	Parceria

Practical Grammar and Speech Examples.

Grammar Point	Explanation	Example	Translation
Past Simple	Used for completed actions in the past	“I achieved my sales target in 2024.”	“Eu alcancei minha meta de vendas em 2024.”
Present Perfect	Used for past actions with present relevance	“We have learned a lot from this year.”	“Nós aprendemos muito neste ano.”
Comparatives	Used to compare two things	“This year was better than the last one.”	“Este ano foi melhor que o anterior.”
First Conditional	For future possibilities	“If we improve our strategy, we will succeed.”	“Se melhorarmos nossa estratégia, teremos sucesso.”

Tips on how to talk about past achievements.

Use clear and direct language when reflecting on achievements and challenges.
Be specific about goals and results (e.g., “We increased sales by 15%”).
In group discussions, practice active listening to understand colleagues’ perspectives.
When discussing setbacks, highlight solutions or lessons learned.
Adapt reflections to your audience, focusing on relevant details for stakeholders.
Consider cultural nuances: Brazilians often use storytelling to explain events, which can make reflections more engaging.

Comprehension Test About past achievements.

Fill in the blank: “I ……………… (to achieve) my goals this year.”
Multiple Choice: “Which sentence is correct?”
a) We achieved our target.
b) We achieves our target.
c) We achieving our target.
Translate:
“We faced many challenges, but we adapted quickly.”
Short Answer: What was your biggest professional achievement in 2024?
True/False: “The Present Perfect is used to describe actions completed in the past with no connection to the present.”
Fill in the blank: “If we ……………… (to invest) in training, our team will improve.”
Write a sentence using the word “setback.”
Identify the grammar point:
“This year was better than the last one.”

Answer Key:

Achieved
a)
“Enfrentamos muitos desafios, mas nos adaptamos rapidamente.”
Answers will vary.
False
Invest
Answers will vary.
Comparatives