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Holiday Blues: Four Questions Leaders Should Ask Their Teams Before The New Year

This article is more than 5 years old.

Holiday cheer is everywhere. Or, is it?

A stroll through your neighborhood at night might be breathtaking this time of year as people light up their homes. Walk into any retail location, and you can’t avoid knowing the holidays are upon us—even if you just stopped to pick up common items like toothpaste and dish soap. Even in our workplaces, holiday decorations often adorn the hallways and work spaces.  So, why is it that we see so many stories about depression around the holidays? Is it real? Isn’t it the happiest time of year? Maybe it’s not. And, if you’re a leader, maybe it’s something you need to think about.

A study by the American Psychological Association uncovered other reasons that the holiday season might be a tough time of year for people—stress, fatigue and irritability are contributing factors. Without a doubt, the financial stress alone during the season of gift giving can create stress on any of us.

As leaders, is any of this our concern? Should we worry about the stresses the holiday season can create for our employees and team members? Yes. We should.

We understand it’s a busy time for everyone. But, we also understand how this time of year can play an important role in the way your people view their commitment to your team and organization. And, we have a few suggestions for leaders and managers—four questions you should ask your team members during the hustle and bustle of the season.

  1. How did you do this year? This might sound like a repetitive conversation, especially if you recently conducted performance reviews with your team members. But, we recommend asking this question from a different aspect of your working relationship. Instead of asking the question as a boss, ask as a friend, and caring human being. Let them answer openly about anything. Maybe even mention how you think you performed the past year. This conversation will build trust, and research shows trust begets trust.
  2. What do you want next year? While this question during a formal conversation might be focused on goals within the organization, we suggest leaving it open-ended during the holiday season. One of your employees might tell you they want to buy a boat. Another might tell you they want to get in shape. Another might tell you they want to close the biggest deal in company history. No answer is wrong. The goal of this question is to get your team members thinking about their future. The goal is to get them talking about goals without talking the pressure of discussing roadmaps, strategies and expectations. The goal is to keep them focused on what they want in life.
  3. How can I help? Throughout our careers, we’ve both witnessed this simple question work wonders in the lives and careers of the people we’ve met, as well as in our own lives and careers. As an employee, this simple question, asked to anyone you meet will open more doors than you’ve ever imagined. As a leader, it’s your job to help people and inspire people to become great—to lead people toward the opportunities they want to pursue. In fact, recent research from the O.C. Tanner Institute reveals that most employees don’t view their opportunities in the organization the same as you. The study found that while 68% of leaders say their organization offers opportunity, only 44% of employees believe they have continued opportunities in the company. Make it clear. Offer your assistance.
  4. Thank you. As the year comes to close, the details and numbers are closed in the books and next year’s strategy adds to the stress of the season, this simple conversation is often the most overlooked. We’ve seen it time and again. The company is celebrating a record year, and the employees never receive the gratitude they deserve. If you don’t have any other conversation with your team before the new year, make sure you don’t skip saying ,“Thank you.”

The season is upon us. With it comes stress, irritability and distraction. This year, make a point as leader to let your team know how much you care. If you don’t, you might not get that opportunity next year.

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