I am so excited to share with you my next 4 part series: The Powerhouse Holiday Hacks.
I don’t know about you, but I am like a kid at Christmas. Whatever you celebrate, no matter what the holiday may be, it can oftentimes bring out the little kid in us. We get excited about the meaningful connections, the special foods, and the traditions.
It’s during this time of the year that I notice that there is such joy that just oozes out of people, along with generosity and kindness.
What I want you to be thinking about as a leader is, knowing full well that your team is already maxed out but now that the holiday season is approaching, they are feeling even more stressed. How can you alleviate some of that stress for them?
Build it into your next agenda: This can be easily done by building some space in your agenda to say to your team “What are some holiday rituals or routines that you really like or that you want to create this holiday season? What this does is that it gets people thinking about what their #1 priority is, what it is that they want to experience with their family. What kind of mindset do I want to be in? Do I want to be intense or stressed or feeling afraid I’m going to forget something? Or would I rather have Zen thoughts which will lead to Zen energy?
Lighten their load: As a leader, it is great to be able to do that with your staff. It’s about how you can lighten the load for them, be it personally or professionally. We all know that when our minds are swirling with our To-Do List from home, we aren’t nearly as focused on what we are doing at the office. How surprised would your team be if you told them you were giving them a couple of hours off to go tackle some of their Holiday List?
Ask them what they want: Imagine what you could do if instead of the formal celebration you ask them what they think would be the nicest thing. When I was working in teams, for me, it has always been around breaking bread together. So whether it is virtual, or in person or Hybrid, it doesn’t really matter because the important thing is that you are breaking bread together.
So here’s an idea:
What if you gave them all an online gift card (Amazon, Walmart, etc) so they could buy their own Christmas Jammies and the party becomes a Jammie party?!? Again, it doesn’t matter whether it is in person or virtual, it just matters that you are spending time together. Talk about really throwing people off and letting their little kid out and really having some fun!
This is a time, with this Mental Health Tsunami, that we are all trying to navigate. You need to get creative and can’t rely on the “same old same old” because it isn’t “the same old same old”.
Of course, you know I have to mention my book The Powerhouse In You. It is all about resiliency. It is all about helping people to be more confident, more courageous, and better able to navigate stressful waters. Maybe you are going to send your team a copy of my book. I’ll sign it with a message specifically for your staff and I always like to include some Zen tea to help set a calm mood.
My challenge to you is to GET CREATIVE! Do some things that you’ve not done before; things that are thought-provoking and that will let your team know that you really put some thought into this. The level of employee engagement you create will come back to you in spades.
I’d love to know what you plan to do for your team this season or what other Holiday Hacks you’ve got that help you get through the busyness of the season.
BE more kind to yourself.
BE more compassionate.
Be more forgiving.
Be more loving.
Remember, you are a Powerhouse.
Wishing you a powerful week.
Cate
Let’s connect on LinkedIn so you never have to worry about missing out on any fantastic resources!
PS – My new video is live on YouTube. Check it out to hear more Powerhouse Holiday Hacks from your Mentally Fit Room to help your team. While you are there, if you like what you hear, hit that big red SUBSCRIBE button so you don’t miss any of my videos.
