It Should Be “Believing Is Seeing” ... Shouldn’t It?

Santa is just about to embark on his epic magical adventure around the world, putting smiles on many children’s faces as they wake on Christmas morning greeted by the gifts of their dreams.

For Santa to visit though, many Children do not need to see him to believe he will visit, they start purely by believing… But why is that, and can we learn something from this?

I realise when I am writing this that I am generalising and there are also many that are not fortunate to experience this, especially following this most uncertain of years. My aim with this article is to draw the comparisons however of the ideal with our current working environment and hopefully help you a little in your thoughts for 2021.

We live in a world where workplaces and different environments are littered with examples of people who will only do something or change something if they see demonstrable evidence of the benefits, the results or even others doing it first. I completely understand the need to balance potential risk vs the potential benefits or outcome on offer, but please stick with me and let me explain.

We can be often greeted with phrases like “that won’t work here”, or “no, we have done it this way for years”. It is easier to be on the side of different is not better and have no thoughts that to be better it just might have to be different. After all leading people and change is simple, but it is not easy.

Opinions are divided, groups are created, and energy is spent trying to persuade others…

There must be another way, surely?

Especially, for us, people who lead other people or are dedicated to facilitating change.

We face challenges and obstacles that we need to overcome even at times just to take the smallest of steps forward. Our belief is strong though, we believe in what we are doing, we believe we know how we can help others, and we believe in the difference we can deliver.

Now consider just for a minute that you could be Santa, with everything that you can offer others. BUT, consider this, if only Santa believed in himself then he would probably not get through many chimneys, he would not get the chance to deliver many presents and he may even be arrested, sectioned and Coca Cola would have chosen another character to paint red….

And, if you are the only one to believe then what will happen to you and your efforts? If you continue to do things the way you have always done?

We do what we do and are in our roles because of our experiences and the choices we have made. I get the opportunity to meet many people and change leaders who are passionate, dedicated and love what they do.

And like Santa putting on his red outfit on Christmas Eve and proudly sitting in his sleigh, we too get up, dressed, and set off to work to deliver but many more days a year than Santa, but in his 1 day there are several lessons we can learn from.

There are five things here that I need to share, these five things we all should consider helping us be more like SANTA

(Do you see what I have done here ??):

1)     Stockings – Are filled with joy for Children, full of the gifts they would love to play with. Children throughout Christmas focus on the outcome throughout and how they will feel on Christmas morning. How do you get people to focus on the outcome and their feelings when they open their STOCKING?

2)     Actions – Children know they should write a letter, always behave (ish), send cards and gifts to others, and go to sleep early on Christmas eve. The actions are clear everyone knows their role and why they should do these things. Can everyone in your team be as certain about their ACTIONS and reasons for them?

3)     Narrative - Parents, peers and friends all share the same compelling joy filled story, the signs, the adverts, the decorations all play a role in delivering the story you are your communications, colleagues and environments support the NARRATIVE?

4)     Trust – Santa always does what he says he will, you write, he replies and visits with the gifts you wanted. Are you reliable? and what do you do to build others TRUST in you?

5)     Attitude - A child’s attitude is one of strong belief, from mid-November they are looking forward, they are talking about it positively and they are unwavering in their belief. Their attitude is positive that SANTA will visit! What can you do to enable a positive ATTITUDE and belief in what will be achieved?

Who would have thought; Santa who has not changed what he does in several years has many lessons we can learn to help us lead people and facilitate change more successfully!

So, lets try to move everyone from ‘Seeing Is Believing’ and let SANTA help us realise that ‘Believing Is Seeing’ or it can be!

Before I sign off for Christmas, I also just want to say thank you for reading this article and helping me believe.

Finally, if we are not yet what you would class as friends, 2021 for me is all about making better connected connections, so, if this article resonates with you, then please let us continue the conversation.

Have an amazing Christmas & New Year and lets all start 2021 believing….

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