IS SANTA A GOOD LEADERSHIP ROLE MODEL

Well, let’s look at what we know about Santa. There have not been any labour disputes for as long as I can remember. No one seems to complain about pay or benefits or working conditions. However, I am not sure what the minimum pay for an elf is and there does seem to be several animals working at the north pole so perhaps recruitment and retention is a problem. They do give away everything they build for free and all they ask is that you are a good person. What’s not like?

If you look at significant leaders of the past and present, there seems to be one word that is easily attached to them. Certainly they have many traits but one usually nails it.

In one word how would you describe Santa? Jovial, happy, caring, generous! Overworked, underpaid, world traveler!

When I think of Mohamed Ali, I think of Passion,

When I think of Martin Luther King, I think of a man with a Dream,

When I think of Richard Branson, I think of Adventure,

When I think of Winston Churchill, I think of a person with Purpose,

When I think of Walt Disney, I think of a Visionary,

When I think of Einstein, I think of Wisdom,

When I think of Mother Teresa, I think of Faith,

When I think of Stephen Spielberg, I think of Creativity,

When I think of Steve Jobs, I think of Innovation,

When I think of Nelson Mandela, I think of Perseverance,

When I think of Sydney Poitier, I think of Sophistication,

When I think of Jeff Bezos (Amazon), I think of Disruptor

When I think of Larry Page & Sergey Brin (Google), I think of Partnerships,

When I think of Barack Obama, I think of a Communicator

I am not sure which of these words would fit Santa best, but it’s an impressive list. Each one of these people had/has the ability to inspire us in different ways. They have the ability to “Lean-In” to a situation. They help the people around them realize that they were #meant4more. 

A Leader who has risen to a level where they are free from the shackles that hold most back, set an example and blaze a path for others to go. They genuinely want others to be more, do more, become more, learn more. They also want it done for the right reason. The right “why”.

I am not sure if encouraging children (people) to “be good” is best accomplished by giving a present once a year, but if the saying is true that you always get more back than you give, maybe we will learn that lesson intrinsically.

Is Santa a good leadership role model? His heart is in the right place, but like most business owners he works excessive hours, feels like it’s all up to him with no one to talk to and he has a hard time recruiting and retaining staff.

If you are looking to improve your leadership skills and your business, it’s difficult to do without help. A Business coach is a great place to start.

At Rhapsody Strategies we can help you;

* build your leadership,

* transform your organization, &

* engage your market more effectively.

If you are interested in seeing how we can help put your business or career on the trajectory that you want, let’s talk.

Derek Millar is a seasoned business coach with Rhapsody Strategies. He is part of a powerful team of coaches and trainers dedicated to transforming leaders and organizations.

Providing clarity around inward and external mobility, allows people to achieve the freedom to enjoy life, have career growth and be fulfilled.

Derek can be reached at [email protected]