THE HOLIDAY CULTURE CHANGE

Have you ever noticed that the closer we get to holiday time, people smile more, spend more time in deeper conversations and tend to really enjoy themselves at some of the holiday parties they attend?What makes the change occur during holiday time? Is it because we suddenly remember that there is a lot more to life than work? That our life on earth is short and we should take the time to enjoy every minute? Why can't we be that way all the time? It makes for such a great working atmosphere. People communicate better, listen more and express their appreciation. In fact, what we see people act like during the holiday season is a lot like the culture change we say we want to make in our organizations, but never seem to get around to doing.This holiday season is also a time when we do some gift-giving. It’s a way of appreciating those important in our lives. Yet during the year we don’t feel we have time to send a quick thank you to show our appreciation for something someone has done. That really doesn’t make sense, does it? We don’t think we have time for one thank you note, yet we buy multiple gifts for people during the holidays. The thank you note or a small gift card is a low-cost item, so it’s not about expense. The bottom line is this: People do better work when they are happy. Is it possible that we put so much pressure on them that we are not getting their very best work? When you draw up your New Year’s resolutions, maybe “inspiring a happy culture” should be toward the top of your list. ACTION STEPS FOR THIS WEEK

1. Look at what it’s like around your organization during the holidays.
2. Help your team enjoy themselves, but when the new year begins think about how you can create the culture you see during the holidays for the rest of the year.
3. Consider something new and creative to get you there. For instance, consider a custom like a White Elephant Gift Exchange (an item that is low cost or something you received that you can recycle) and do it in the middle of the year, so that you can recapture the holiday spirit and imbed it into your organizational culture.