Leadership Lessons from Saint Nick
All year long he’s preparing for a single night.
Of course, he doesn’t do it alone. His faithful wife is by his side, a full partner in making Christmas a success. And the industrious elves are at work, focused, skilled, determined to meet the imposing deadlines. Oh yes, we can’t forget the reindeer, a critical part of his delivery team.
Christmas Eve is show time. There’s no room for excuses. It’s not possible to delay. Time waits for no man, not even Santa.
Santa’s leadership is fully on display on Christmas Eve.
1. Let go of the baggage weighing you down.
By the end of the night, everything is gone. He doesn’t hold on to anything. Every single bag is delivered, leaving him with an empty sleigh. Because of this, the year ahead offers unlimited opportunity, a fresh slate, a new outlook.
Are you holding on to baggage better left to the past?
2. Remember the good and forget the bad.
Santa has kept a record. Sure, we know he supposedly sees the good and the bad, but no kid ever reports getting a bag of coal Christmas morning. I think he has an excellent memory for the good things, the kindnesses he sees, and he forgets a lot of the bad stuff. Santa focuses on the positive and uplifting.
Are you willing to overlook faults, forgive wrongs, and remember the best of people?
3. Give generously without seeking credit.
Santa puts up with a lot. Despite the warm outfit, it’s bitter cold, especially at those flying altitudes. He’s in cramped quarters, breathing in dust and dirt in chimneys. It’s exhausting to get to every house in the world.
But he gives and gives. He doesn’t seek credit. He doesn’t seem to mind that we forget to send thank you notes. We sit on his lap and just ask and ask and ask.
Are you giving with no expectation of anything in return?
There are many more lessons we can learn from Santa, but these three stuck out for me. Santa is a leader. He inspires many others throughout the world to care for others.
What would you add?
