Don’t drive the sleigh on your own: 5 tested management tips for surviving Christmas like a boss

Let’s face it: as well as sparkly and bright, the coming of Christmas can feel daunting, overwhelming and exhausting.

In the workplace, the tenets of good leadership help build a culture of positivity, resilience and cooperation. At home during the festive season, the same approaches can also help.

We share our top five tips, based on proven management practices, to help bring more joy – and less Grinch – to Christmas.

Leadership: don’t be like Santa

While Santa gets the lion’s share of Christmas credit for driving the sleigh, in reality there are months of work behind the scenes, with many, many helpers.

While the idea of leading from the front – being the superhero who is seen as knowing it all – has long been a popular leadership myth, good leaders understand the power of engaging and motivating others, recognising their own limits and delegating well.

Don’t try to drive the sleigh on your own. Leadership is not a solo endeavour. Build a team of happy, productive elves to make your Christmas operation more achievable and enjoyable for everyone.

Wellbeing: Christmas is not an extreme sport

Mathematically speaking, Christmas Day equates to about 16 hours of awake time. This short but potentially intense period amplifies the risk of burnout, especially if you run yourself ragged trying to control every aspect of the Christmas operation.

Ask yourself: why are you planning to manufacture an elaborate, multi-course banquet of meats, salads, dressings and desserts – especially when the teenagers have Uber Eats high on their Christmas wish list?

Even though Christmas is a pro-social, and therefore largely positive event - positive can be stressful. The key causes of burnout at work – including unmanageable workloads, lack of support and feelings of loneliness – can all show up as Christmas approaches.

Mitigate the risks by proactively protecting your wellbeing: take a walk, do some deep breathing, practise mindfulness. After all, who wants a burnt-out, cynical Grinch at the Christmas table?

Retention: keep good people close

In business, retention is about keeping engaged workers. These people can sprinkle magic throughout an organisation thanks to their productivity, effectiveness and positive influence on culture.

Embrace the power and skills of others. Gather up the best seasoned players in your Christmas orbit and ask them to bring their magic. You know the ones: those who can keep family politics on the down-low, whip up the perfect pavlova, manage the pets, or simply make you laugh while you’re corralling the chaos.

Remember, appreciation contributes to retention. Make sure you thank your inner sanctum of helpers.

Agility: you won’t get it all your own way

Agility is the ability to move quickly – including mentally.

While you may like to be the star of your Christmas show, many things can derail overly prescriptive festive plans. Weather events, logistical delays, traffic jams, product recalls, food shortages, or simply elves refusing to eat together can all test your management skills.

Be agile, and where possible adopt a zigzag working approach to manage a myriad of work and family demands. Have a Plan B at the ready, and embrace a growth mindset rather than sticking, come hell or high water, to the original plan and risking meltdown.

Also remember the big picture: what feels like a disaster on the big day can become a treasured family story passed down for generations. Remember that Christmas when Dad forgot to turn on the oven?

Strategic renewal: try something different

While you may love the idea of riding into the festive season as the commander of calm, you’re probably seasoned enough to know that Christmas won’t plan itself. In fact, your loved ones likely want you to lead (see tip one).

If the thought of planning Christmas makes you yearn for a cuppa and a lie-down, try strategic renewal - adapting your strategies to stay ahead of the game.

Consider doing Christmas differently by setting new goals, be they around events, budget or sustainability. Then, develop action plans that allocate tasks to others based on their strengths, whether that’s negotiation, procurement, cooking or hosting.

Be aware that not everything needs to change. Repeating what works can be smart and strengthens organisational learning. Monitor progress and review outcomes with an open mind. Delegation can bring surprises – such as a Christmas Day playlist without a single carol, courtesy of your techno-loving teen.

Merry Christmas to all, Aotearoa. With the right mix of learning from the past, sound planning and a calm approach, holiday magic can happen.

(P.S. One thing we three all agree on: none of us is brave enough to take full leadership responsibility for Christmas.)