Leading Through the Holidays
The holidays are a terrific and challenging time to be a leader. Terrific because听it鈥檚听one of the best times of the year to build real connection as a team: holiday parties, secret Santa, decorating the office and sharing fruitcake听(well,听maybe not听fruitcake). Challenging because customers, operations听and deadlines听don鈥檛听care that half your team is听out听and the other half has eggnog on the brain.
Challenge听One:听It鈥檚听a high-stress season.
Even the most capable teams feel the听strain听this time of year.听People听are juggling family plans,听travel听and gift lists on top of work deadlines.听They鈥檙e听running on less sleep, stressed about what present to buy their听significant other, family or friends,听recovering from听wrestling with outdoor lights that still听don鈥檛听work and trying to remember what day it is. Tension听can run听high,听patience听can run听low听and听most听feel听pressure to get it all done before the year ends.
罢丑别听翱辫辫辞谤迟耻苍颈迟测:听Slow听down enough to show people they matter. Stress shrinks perspective, but connection restores it. Send a quick message of appreciation, give someone the benefit of the doubt听if something goes听wrong听or just take five minutes to ask how things are going.听听shows听that recognition and connection are the biggest drivers of engagement during high-stress periods. When people feel seen, they give their best even in the busiest seasons.
Challenge听Two:听It鈥檚听the end of the year.
Whose听idea听was it听to put multiple holidays at the end of the calendar year?听It鈥檚听a lot. Projects are wrapping up, deadlines are听colliding听and people are听more likely to be听out of the office.
罢丑别听翱辫辫辞谤迟耻苍颈迟测:听Rally the team and get clear on what truly matters. The end of the year is not the time to launch a new pilot or start something that needs constant attention. Focus on finishing well. Decide which projects move forward and which can wait. Communicate those priorities clearly so听your team听can听focus听their energy where it counts. Amid the sprint to wrap things up, take a moment to pause and appreciate what the group听accomplished听together.
Challenge听Three:听Employees听would rather party than work.
It鈥檚听okay听that your team would rather celebrate than work.听It鈥檚听part of being human. The end of the year is when people naturally want to connect,听celebrate听and take a breath.
罢丑别听翱辫辫辞谤迟耻苍颈迟测:听听that team members who live full lives perform better at work, with strong work-life balance linked to higher satisfaction and improved performance.听Make space听for connection while keeping the lights on. Encourage celebrations, join听in听and share a laugh, but be thoughtful about coverage and timing. Everyone听can鈥檛听be out at once, and that鈥檚 part of leadership,听too. Set expectations early, balance fairness with operational听needs听and then听let听your team听enjoy the season. These small acts of clarity and flexibility build trust and belonging that last well past the holidays. When听people听like where they work and who they work with, performance takes care of听itself.
Recognize That Moments Matter
The projects will听get听finished, the听deadlines听will听pass听and the year will reset soon enough. What听your team听will remember is how they felt working alongside you in the middle of it all. The laughter, the听grace听and听the sense that what they do and who听they are听actually matter. Those are the moments that carry a team into the听New听Year ready to do their best work.
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