Happy, Productive Holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—to get things done.

BY WENDY WOLLNER

From the C-suite on down, companies tend to unconsciously regard the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s as a less-thanproductive time. We think no one will be available to take meetings or go to seminars. We assume “everyone” is going on vacation, so we put new projects on the back burner. And as a result, we lose opportunities and money.

Yes, in many ways, the holidays have a slower pace. But based on my work with a range of companies, and as a CEO myself, I can tell you that the end of the year is actually a fantastic time for leaders to get things done. You can use this time to:

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

It’s easier to get on the calendar of people you want to meet, whether a client, a connection, or someone you might want to hire. Take the person out for lunch for an hour, or more. Have a thank-you get-together, with wine and cheese, for your advisory board.

SCHEDULE PRESENTATIONS

My company provides training sessions, and early on I was warned not to try to schedule them between Thanksgiving and Christmas because “no one will come.” I learned that is just not true; people come in droves. We also fi nd that prospective clients are more open to sales calls at year’s end because their daily schedules are more fl exible.

DIG INTO AN ISSUE YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ON

Maybe you’ve wanted to redo your marketing, or rethink your organizational chart, or pursue a new media platform, or create a customer survey. No need to wait for the new year—go for it.

Lately, a number of executives have told me they are using this time to really dig deep into their P&L and balance sheets. As a company grows, it’s easy to lose track of a few thousand here or there—for example, in coffee or catering expenses. A few thousand here and there can add up to $50,000.

CONNECT WITH EMPLOYEES

It is truly empowering for employees to have the CEO’s ear once in a while.

Of course, you need to be nurturing relationships with employees year-round. But think of the holidays as shoring up your foundation. You can take time to further pursue creative thinking, and to ask employees to help you develop what the next year is going to be like. During peak times, a staff meeting might consist of, “Okay, we have 20 minutes; tell me what I need to know.” Now, you have time to listen to ideas without having to rush.

Over the course of the year, good ideas come up that you just can’t pursue at the moment. We call these “parking lot ideas,” make note of them, and save them for a meeting in December when we are less pressed for time.

It’s all about a shift in perspective that can make the holiday season one of your most productive ever—and set the tone for your employees to do the same.

Wendy Wollner is founder and president of Balancing Life’s Issues, a national provider of custom work/life balance training and programs for executives and employees.