Thursday's Leadership Insight (An Early Edition); The Present Those You Lead Want, Five Leadership Lessons, a Gift for the Christmas Holiday Season

"Christmas is mandatory. "There has to be one day a  year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves." Eric Severeid"12/23/24

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

You may think you are in a time warp of some type. Maybe I am wondering if I have finally, after 280-plus articles, lost track of the days. The answer is No to both questions. This is an early edition of the Thursday leadership insight. It is meant to be a brief learning gift to you, my faithful subscribers; it is also coming out early to allow you to give the gift of your presence to those you are spending time with this Christmas Holiday season. The great philosopher Charles Schultz, who was the creator of  A Charlie Brown Christmas, said, "Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."

The Christmas holiday season is full of leadership lessons, from books to movies, videos, and traditions. This early edition of Thursday's Leadership Insight is the final article on what those you lead really want from you in the holidays and all year your presence. This article will share five leadership lessons from Christmas. What could be a better way to conclude this series than with some leadership insights/gifts from Santa and other holiday sources? 

1.  Santa is a servant leader.

He has a purpose and mission of leveraging many types of resources in a focused effort team effort to make people's lives better. He seeks to serve first, and he builds people up to get things done. He expects accountability yet leads with grace, as seen in his taking time to rethink the older sister's behavior in the  Netflix animated movie That Christmas. He leverages a vast network of resources and people that have evolved over time to do good. He has embraced change while staying true to his purpose, His Why, and his mission

2.  Santa is a team-builder

.Leadership expert  Randy Conoley interviewed Sanat about teamwork a few seasons ago. Santa noted the importance of a clearly understood purpose, team empowerment, and communication. This  was demonstrated in the work of the Elf team coming together  in the Polar Express and even depicts a time when a "naughty child "is given a second chance by  a lead Elf  who makes the decision noting he will" give the kid a break,"

3. Santa leverages diversity for the good of all  

He leads a diverse and varied group to serve all the best. The elves have been portrayed in many different ways in the movies, from hard work to partying in The Polar Express after Santa takes off to make deliveries. The elves also step up to save Christmas several times, as seen in  Christmas Chronicles and Elf. Santa uses a wide variety of shapes and sizes to complete the task. He also utilized those who were fun of to save the day, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer who guided the sled on that foggy day. He provided a place to utilize those unique skills to save the day. The season's generational diversity is seen in Home Alone when Kevin McCallister's connection with "Old Man" Marley helps him reconnect with his family. Santa understands the actual value of diversity. He values people and builds bridges of connection.

4.  Christmas shows leadership is about the heart.

The Grinch in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas had experienced many very painful Christmases in an orphanage as a child. He was living the" Emotional Magnifying  Glass "of the Christmas season described in That Christmas as he looked down at Whoville. Then he stole Christmas from Whoville, yet when he met Cindy-Lou Who, it changed his heart: "It grew three times that day. " The same was true of Ebenezzar Scrooge centuries before. Chris, in The Polar Express, with the help of Holly and Billy, learns the Conductor is right: "The true spirit of Christmas lies in the heart." Leadership is about the heart. Dan Rockwell, in the Leadership Freak 12/23/24 article, Grow Your Leadership Heart Three Sizes, writes that leading with heart begins with a bigger way of seeing – a courageous way. The Grinch's breakthrough happened like a bolt of lightning when he realized there was more to joy than presents."

5  Leadership Is a choice and a belief.

The Conductor Of the Polar Express asks  Chris, "Well, are you getting on? One thing about trains is it doesn't matter where you go. What matters is deciding to get on. "Chris decided first to get on the train and then to believe in himself and others and the season's meaning. The Conductor, punching everyone's ticket at the end of the ride, provided the closing gift of guidance to the diverse group of DS, Lenny the Know "learn," Chris," Believe," Billy "Rely on," and Holly "Leader." They all had a leader, the Conductor, who guided them, yet they had to choose first  and choose to believe., A leader decides to believe in themselves and those they serve and lead.

6 The hidden gift.

In Polar Express, Chris discovers an extra gift under the tree,  The Sleigth bell, which he thought was lost. It was left with a note from Mr. C. The gift of the sleigh bell could only be heard by him and his sister; his parents couldn't hear it. The sleigh bell is a gift t and a reminder. It is a gift of belief in the magic of the season and the people we lead and serve. It is a reminder that the belief will only grow if we as leaders choose to continue to lead and serve in our leadership practice, which is seen in the holiday season year-round. Chris's parents don't hear the bell like, sadly, many leaders today in our "leadershipsad" world today. They don't believe in leadership to build people up and get things done.

My hope and prayer for all those leaders who don't believe that they like the Grinch, Scrooge, and Chris have a change of heart that they choose to change.

The gift for all of us this season is from the thoughts of the late CBS News anchor Eric Severeid: "Christmas is mandatory. "There has to be one day a  year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves."

My Christmas Holiday wish and prayers for all of you 

1.   Choose to get on the train and enjoy the ride

MERRY CHRISTMAS  HAPPY HOLIDAYS