5 Ways to Develop Leadership Skills During the Holidays
Overwhelm and gratitude. The two seem to be competing emotions this time of year.
And it's no surprise when you think about the 11 months of deadlines, projects, revenue goals, performance reviews you've dealt with. Not to mention, preparing for everything that comes with the holiday season.
Here’s a suggestion: Hit pause on the crazy schedule but not on being a leader.
It’s okay to scale back your activity level and it’s possible to continue honing your leadership skills at the same time.
5 Ways to Develop Leadership Skills During the Holidays
Delegate. You don’t have to prepare every meal from scratch, or wrap every single present or complete the holiday errands all by yourself. The best leaders know how to delegate. Practice with your family and friends.
Listen. If you’re usually driving conversations and meetings at work, take a backseat in some of the family conversations. Give yourself space to just listen without feeling pressure to be “on.” Leaders listen (even when they’re not always interested.)
Learn. Leaders never stop learning or surrounding themselves with people they can learn from. Hanging out with different people during the holidays (like your out-of-town relatives) provides an opportunity to learn something new and gain different perspectives. You might not care about the secret ingredient in Aunt Deb’s pie crust but learning new things is a habit leaders should maintain.
Maintain a routine. My morning routine doesn’t change even with a house full of guests. It helps keep me sane. And it’s oddly reassuring to know that I’m accomplishing something in my day even when I scale back the amount hours I spend working. Be a leader with a routine you can count on.
Watch sports. For some people this is part of relaxing and taking a break, but if you watch with a critical eye you could be sharpening at least 5 Leadership Skills.
Taking time for yourself and your family is critical. Sit back, relax and enjoy some downtime all while knowing you're not losing ground as a leader. In fact, you'll be even more effective when the work schedule kicks up again.
Author
Jen Mueller
Talk Sporty To Me
Through her motivational and inspiring keynote presentations, beneficial workshops, three advice-packed books her, hands-on online workshop series (Learn from a Leader) and flourishing fan base, Jen inspires business leaders and professionals to develop the right strategies and skills to become a confident and expert communicator.
Recent Posts
