Leading Through the Holidays
The holidays are a terrific and challenging time to be a leader. Terrific becauseĚýit’sĚýone of the best times of the year to build real connection as a team: holiday parties, secret Santa, decorating the office and sharing fruitcakeĚý(well,Ěýmaybe notĚýfruitcake). Challenging because customers, operationsĚýand deadlinesĚýdon’tĚýcare that half your team isĚýoutĚýand the other half has eggnog on the brain.
ChallengeĚýOne:ĚýIt’sĚýa high-stress season.
Even the most capable teams feel theĚýstrainĚýthis time of year.ĚýPeopleĚýare juggling family plans,ĚýtravelĚýand gift lists on top of work deadlines.ĚýThey’reĚýrunning on less sleep, stressed about what present to buy theirĚýsignificant other, family or friends,Ěýrecovering fromĚýwrestling with outdoor lights that stillĚýdon’tĚýwork and trying to remember what day it is. TensionĚýcan runĚýhigh,ĚýpatienceĚýcan runĚýlowĚýandĚýmostĚýfeelĚýpressure to get it all done before the year ends.
°Őłó±đĚý°ż±č±č´Ç°ůłŮłÜ˛Ôľ±łŮ˛â:ĚýSlowĚýdown 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 doubtĚýif something goesĚýwrongĚýor just take five minutes to ask how things are going.ĚýĚýshowsĚýthat 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.
ChallengeĚýTwo:ĚýIt’sĚýthe end of the year.
WhoseĚýideaĚýwas itĚýto put multiple holidays at the end of the calendar year?ĚýIt’sĚýa lot. Projects are wrapping up, deadlines areĚýcollidingĚýand people areĚýmore likely to beĚýout of the office.
°Őłó±đĚý°ż±č±č´Ç°ůłŮłÜ˛Ôľ±łŮ˛â:ĚýRally 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 soĚýyour teamĚýcanĚýfocusĚýtheir energy where it counts. Amid the sprint to wrap things up, take a moment to pause and appreciate what the groupĚýaccomplishedĚýtogether.
ChallengeĚýThree:ĚýEmployeesĚýwould rather party than work.
It’sĚýokayĚýthat your team would rather celebrate than work.ĚýIt’sĚýpart of being human. The end of the year is when people naturally want to connect,ĚýcelebrateĚýand take a breath.
°Őłó±đĚý°ż±č±č´Ç°ůłŮłÜ˛Ôľ±łŮ˛â:ĚýĚýthat team members who live full lives perform better at work, with strong work-life balance linked to higher satisfaction and improved performance.ĚýMake spaceĚýfor connection while keeping the lights on. Encourage celebrations, joinĚýinĚýand share a laugh, but be thoughtful about coverage and timing. EveryoneĚýcan’tĚýbe out at once, and that’s part of leadership,Ěýtoo. Set expectations early, balance fairness with operationalĚýneedsĚýand thenĚýletĚýyour teamĚýenjoy the season. These small acts of clarity and flexibility build trust and belonging that last well past the holidays. WhenĚýpeopleĚýlike where they work and who they work with, performance takes care ofĚýitself.
Recognize That Moments Matter
The projects willĚýgetĚýfinished, theĚýdeadlinesĚýwillĚýpassĚýand the year will reset soon enough. WhatĚýyour teamĚýwill remember is how they felt working alongside you in the middle of it all. The laughter, theĚýgraceĚýandĚýthe sense that what they do and whoĚýthey areĚýactually matter. Those are the moments that carry a team into theĚýNewĚýYear ready to do their best work.
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