How to be a good leader over the holidays: A 5-minute guide 

It's been a tough year for many of us. Whether it’s work pressure or personal challenges, the demands can feel even tougher with the holiday season upon us. 

But there are small, sustainable ways we can make the most of this time and build steps to success for the new year. 

Here’s our two-part toolkit of actionable ways to end the year by supporting your own wellbeing, leading your teams effectively and celebrating your achievements. 

Prioritise your own wellbeing 

Just like on a plane, we need to secure our own emotional oxygen masks before we’re able to help others. Leaders face a lot of challenges and demands, which means managing mental health –  including stress and mood – is a key priority. Not only does better wellbeing help us innovate and produce better results, research shows it also has a positive effect on the wellbeing of teams.

Build your skills to support mental health 

Worryingly, two-thirds of managers aren’t able to engage with the mental health of their teams. By taking training such as Unmind Manager Training, you can learn valuable skills around supporting your own health, connecting with others and creating a culture where people can thrive. 

Craft your role to your strengths

With downtime over the holidays, it can be a great time to reflect on your role and hopes for the future. Using this time to job craft could set you up for a successful new year. 

Job crafting is the art of aligning your strengths, values and passions with your role to power your development and find your role more rewarding. We can cultivate this by looking for opportunities to craft tasks, take on new challenges and nurture relationships in areas we’re really interested in. 

Be clear on expectations over the festive season 

Whether your organisation shuts down or teams stay active over the holiday season, every team can benefit from clarity on what changes over the season mean for them. For people taking time off, being clear that they can recharge rather than check inboxes means teams can focus on getting the most out of their break. 

Share reflections and align as a team 

Reflecting on the year as a group can be a valuable way to nurture connections within the team and recognise their valuable work. By sharing wins, gratitude and recognising team contributions, you can help team members see their achievements in the wider context of the organisation’s goals and success. 

Offer flexibility where possible 

By offering flexibility in work schedules at this time of year, leaders can show consideration for team members’ commitments and sensitivity to different cultural norms and celebrations. By offering this support, teams can feel empowered to do their best work when they can.

For more information on how you can develop as a leader and support your teams with Unmind, book a call today.