Lessons Learned: My Guide to Managing the Holidays

For financial professionals, the end of the year isn’t only stressful because the in-laws are in town—these months are our crunch time. Between gearing up for tax season, reevaluating our client’s goals, or working on distribution, we rarely get a break.

But we love what we do, right? Of course we do. But that doesn’t mean leaders in the financial industry shouldn’t step up to give their employees extra support during the holidays. With more than a few chaotic holiday seasons behind me, here’s my advice for survival:

1. Good work comes from good boundaries.

Your employees are ready to work hard…but that doesn’t mean they all have the same working rhythm. The holidays can get especially hectic between family and client needs, so give your team the space to work in a way (and at a time) that helps them balance all their responsibilities. Make your expectations for their role and performance clear, but then give them the space to do it—however they need to do it.

2. Remember that holidays are complicated.

Even though you’re prioritizing the work, don’t forget there’s a human behind each conference call. The holidays aren’t a wonderful time of year for everyone, and we should treat each other with kindness as we work together to achieve our goals.

3. Give people the tools they need to succeed.

At Concorde, we prioritize using a robust tech stack to help our team get the job done. When we hit the end of the year, there are a million signatures, documents, emails, and ideas floating between a financial advisor and their client. Provide your team with the tools they need to automate the busy work and refocus their efforts on the conversations that make a difference.

4. Listen to your team.

You hired the team around you for a reason. Listen to them! If you notice that employees are feeling more burnt out than usual or they’re struggling to hit their goals, set aside time to talk to them about what’s going on. Together, you can own the problem and the solution. Some of the best ideas have come about when I chose to listen first instead of talk.

5. Prioritize quick, meaningful check-ins with your team.

Now, I know you’re busy. And you know what? Your team is busy, too. You don’t need to schedule a 30-minute call to have a meaningful check-in. Instead, send them a quick message:

“Checking in to see how this week is going for you—I know it’s getting busy for everyone. Is there something I can help you with?”

Small interactions with your team are opportunities to show up and show you care. Make the most of those impactful moments!

6. Have a sense of humor.

My last piece of advice may be one of the most essential: it’s okay to laugh. Commiserate over those overloaded inboxes. Laugh at the family antics. Appreciate the moments of humor throughout the day. When things get tough (and they will), it’s up to you to provide solutions and let your team laugh. We all need it during the holidays.

This is for informational purposes only. Securities offered through Concorde Investment Services, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Concorde Asset Management, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Concorde Insurance Agency, Inc.