Jolly Leadership Lessons From Santa – Part 1

It can’t be easy being Santa. Imagine the demands that are put on you every year to execute a manufacturing, distribution, and customer service epicenter that is of global proportions. Each year millions of people relying on you to nail every detail on a non-negotiable time crunch. Santa does teach us some incredible lessons about leadership. We can learn from the jolly ol’ fellow about how to best lead effectively.

Here are some Jolly Leadership Lessons From Santa that we can all learn from.

1. Every Movement Needs A Face

Though teamwork is essential in leadership and getting things done, every team needs a leader. They need someone that steps up and is the visible leader in charge. Too many heads can equate to a monster. Every great movement had a leader that championed the vision and the cause…Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, George Washington, William Booth, Winston Churchill, the list goes on and on. Every movement had a leader that spurred the people on. It is vital for the right person to step up and become the face of whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. This is not a positional thing; it is a leadership thing. Santa was a great face for the operations at the North Pole; he encompasses the spirit of what everyone up there is trying to accomplish.

2. Santa Finds Out What The Needs Are

Every year millions of little children write Santa letters telling him what they want for Christmas. In fact, many states & countries actually respond to letters that are sent to local mail carriers. One year New York responded to over 500,000 letters from children sent to the local mail services through a program called “Letters To Santa.” The leadership lesson here is that Santa responds to the kid’s needs, not just his own assumption. He finds out what the people want and then reacts accordingly. Great leaders listen to their people. They listen in order to know who they are dealing with and what they are dealing with. Dr. Covey taught us to Seek First To Understand Then Be Understood. This truth is a leadership tool. When you find out the needs, you can come up with the answers.

3. Santa Is Surrounded By A Phenomenal Team Of Elves

You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Santa was smart to recruit the elves to help him run the business. It is ONLY because of their help and effort that the North Pole Operation can function as it does. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, taught me one is too small a number to achieve greatness. It takes teamwork to make a dream work. Leaders have to spend time developing those around them to become great leaders as well. The more you empower those around you, the more opportunity you’ll have to grow. Invest in your team by helping them to get better and better as you develop them to their potential. Your success is dependent upon the people that are working with you. It is vital to have a great team of people that you can rely on, and that will help grow your cause. If they can’t do that, you need to either train them or release them.