The Holidays: Your Unexpected Leadership Growth Opportunity

A holiday break is a great time to recharge and reset your work habits, especially those that could make you a better leader. 

Drawing from what we learned from James Clear at his "Atomic Habits" event for Growth Faculty, we know that small, consistent changes add up over time to get big results. 

Effective leaders improve by: 

• habit stacking - anchoring new leadership behaviours to existing routines—like saying something positive every time you arrive (or log in) at work 

• environment design - strategically designing your schedule to include ways to empower or develop your team (such as building in a lunch-and-learn occasionally) 

Ineffective leaders stall by: 

• creating unnecessary complexity – constantly planning and strategising without taking meaningful action, which prevents real progress and drains team energy 

• micromanaging – always intervening, preventing team members from realising their leadership potential 

REFLECT:  

What tiny leadership habit could you start this holiday season? How could you all use this time to work on your wellbeing and personal development? 

TAKE ACTION:  

Set a daily two-minute feedback ritual. At the end of each workday, write down one specific thing a team member did well. This tiny habit creates a muscle memory of recognition, helps you notice positive contributions. Practise over the holidays on your friends and family!  

BE INSPIRED:  

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." – James Clear, Atomic Habits 

Karen Beattie