Christmas Party Leadership

Ahh it’s that time of year again… the silly season and with it comes the dreaded end of year Christmas party!

Whether you’re a large or a small organisation the Christmas party is a chance to let your hair down and relax… well maybe not, sorry to be scrooge here for a minute, but the Work Christmas Party is just that… the Work Christmas Party.

Rather than considering Scrooge’s bleak outlook for Christmas, perhaps it might just be an opportunity to show our staff (or our bosses) how committed we are to the business and build relationship with each other. After all that is the Christmas Spirit!

Leadership expert Stephen Bell outlines a few great tips for being a leader at your Christmas Party.

• Keep a clear mind: In any case, it’s always better to err on the side of professional rather than the familiar. Should you decide to drink; leaders will always remain in control.
  
• Set Expectations: Leaders should communicate and understand what is expected of them and deliver.
  
• Turn Up: Regardless of whether we feel like going or not, Bell explains that “Leaders should understand risks and not be paralysed by them”.
  
• Role Model Behaviours: Live by the rules you set, others will follow in your example.
  
• Be Aware: of what is happening around you. You are ultimately responsible for your own behaviour. Every action in the present determines what will be in your future.
  
• Be Prepared to say goodnight: Leaders will show courage and deal with sticky situations accordingly. Managers - that mean quietly approaching your employee in question, giving them a friendly good bye and a taxi fare home will usually do. Keep in mind that employees remain under your duty of care until they arrive home. In some cases a chauffeured ride home may be necessary.
  
• Act on what you say: Leaders will enforce the boundaries they have set and ensure that they are followed. There are consequences for every action.

How you finish one thing often determines how you start another and the Christmas Party is perfect example. 2011 will only build on what you’ve achieved this year, so what spring board to your future are you building?