Leadership and the Holidays

It's December! How can you tell? Well the weather has changed on the East coast, it's colder. It also gets dark before the work day is done. The lights in the neighborhood are spectacular. Oh, and the Amazon account is literally under attack! Yup, it's December for sure. It's also notable at work, holiday parties, longer lunches, gift baskets in the lobby, cards and candy canes on the desk -- oh how this now remote guy misses the in-office feel!

Yes, it is a distracting month for sure, mixing in days off and the expectation that many will shut down the last week of the year if they can. However, it is also an important time of the year for many reasons on the work side. If you are a calendar month fiscal year, numbers need to be posted, deals closed, and bonuses made or missed! The drive to success doesn't take a holiday break, that's for sure. Also, it's a great transition time, as you look to close one year and (better be!) planning for the next.

Challenge for us leaders is managing the two -- giving employees the time and space to celebrate with each other and encouraging the needed PTO (see earlier article!) while driving the end of quarter and end of year process necessary while planning for next year -- all while avoiding being called Ebeneezer Scrooge!

It's a balancing act for sure, but isn't that what leadership is at all times? So how do we handle this one, since it feels different. Direct conflict in the battle for work/life balance, mixed in with typical Holiday stress? Here are three ideas for how to lead through the year-end Holidays:

1. Everyone Act Normal. The first lesson whenever you face chaos periods (Isn't that what the Holidays feel like??) is to remain calm. Act Normal. So keep your regular cadence. Use the word expectations and urgency like you did in September. And deal with the disruptions as "exceptions" -- shorten a meeting, extend the monthly staff meeting 30 minutes for some Holiday fun. Don't start cancelling the normal, it will make things worse.
2. Embrace the time of year. Do decorate the office. Do schedule a holiday potluck. Nothing wrong with an Ugly Christmas sweater from time to time. (for some of us, how would you even know??). Yes, it's the Holiday season, so let it in the office!
3. The sun will come up tomorrow! Guess what? Next year IS coming. Hey look our next 1:1 is in January! Wow, the next client meeting is NEXT YEAR! :) Time is relentless and the lights will come down and the tree will go away and the music will stop. It happens every year. So keep the focus there. Nothing wrong with a reminder that the holidays come and go, but our responsibilities continue -- because they will. So keep your eye on the plan and the deliverables for next year, maybe even heighten it -- starting off strong is important!

Happy Holidays everyone. Enjoy. And watch out. Next year is almost here and January numbers WILL be measured!