Christmas Is Just Around the Corner – And It’s a Leadership Moment
Christmas is just around the corner.
For many leaders, this time of year brings a welcome pause, an opportunity to slow down after months of pressure, decisions, and delivery. It’s also a chance to reflect, not just on what you’re giving your family and friends, but on how you show up in the moments that matter.
If you’re a parent, partner, sibling, or close friend, there’s a simple question worth asking:
What do they really want from me?
The same question applies to leadership.
Because while Christmas is often framed around gifts and celebrations, the most meaningful things we offer, at home and at work, aren’t bought or wrapped.
They’re demonstrated.
The Gifts We Rarely Talk About
For many people, the Christmas period is one of the few times each year when relationships slow down enough to really be experienced.
That time can be joyful.
It can be challenging.
And often, it’s both.
Which makes it a powerful reminder of something leaders often overlook: the way we relate to people matters as much as what we achieve with them.
Beyond deadlines, targets, food, gifts, and traditions, there are quieter contributions that shape relationships:
Attention
Presence
Patience
Understanding
These are not “soft” qualities. They are the foundations of trust, engagement, and psychological safety—inside families and inside organisations.
Why Understanding Matters More Than We Think
In Listening – A Guide to Building Deeper Connections, I share a quote from Stephen R. Covey that captures a universal truth:
“The deepest hunger of the human heart is to be understood.”
In leadership, this shows up every day.
People want to feel heard.
They want to feel understood.
They want to know they matter beyond their output.
When leaders consistently provide that experience, trust increases, defensiveness drops, and discretionary effort rises. When they don’t, people disengage, quietly or loudly.
The good news?
You don’t need advanced training or perfect words to offer understanding.
You just need to demonstrate it.
Understanding Is Not Declared, It’s Demonstrated
One of the most common leadership mistakes is assuming that saying “I understand” is enough.
How often have you heard those words and immediately thought, “No, you don’t”?
Understanding isn’t something you announce.
It’s something people experience.
The most effective way to demonstrate understanding is simple:
reflect back what the other person is saying, in your own words.
For example:
“So what you’re saying is…”
“It sounds like you’re feeling…”
“Let me check I’ve got this right…”
You don’t need to get it perfect.
In fact, when you try, people often jump in to clarify and that’s a good thing. It means they’re engaged, and it gives you another opportunity to listen.
In workplaces where people rarely experience this level of attention, it stands out immediately.
A Gift That Strengthens Relationships
When leaders give the gift of understanding, several things happen:
Trust deepens
Conversations become less defensive
Accountability becomes easier
Relationships strengthen over time
And sometimes, without fanfare, things begin to heal.
What’s the worst that can happen if you practise this over the holiday period, or bring it more intentionally into your leadership?
At best, people feel genuinely heard.
At worst, they notice you’re making an effort.
Either way, it matters.
So perhaps it’s time to update an old saying.
Instead of “’tis the season to be jolly,”
how about “’tis the season to be understanding.”
A Leadership Choice This Christmas
This Christmas, the most valuable gift you can give isn’t something you buy.
It’s how you show up.
With your attention.
With your presence.
With your willingness to understand, before responding, correcting, or solving.
Over the coming weeks, choose one conversation, at home or at work, where you intentionally practise summarising and reflecting back what the other person is saying.
Notice how they respond.
Notice how you feel.
You may be surprised by what changes, and by how powerful that simple leadership habit really is.
📞 Or call Ross directly on 0412 490 250
📞 Call Team Focus Plus on 1300 551 274 or
📧 Email team@teamfocusplus.com
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