DEAR SANTA, HOW TO ENHANCE THE BOND OF A TEAM AT CHRISTMAS?
“It came without ribbons.
It came without bows.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
Maybe Christmas, he thought,
doesn’t come from a store…
Maybe Christmas, perhaps,
means a little bit more?”
(the Grinch from Dr Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”)
It is THE time of the year again - the almighty Christmas! - which bears in it so many different notions for different people: jolliness, excitement, peace, and love; but also exhaustion, stress, loneliness, as well as “let’s just get it over and done with!”. And in a team you are likely to have different people. With a variety of notions. Hence, how can you as a Leader support your people not just to survive it, but also truly boost them, whilst strengthening the bond and together actually also enjoying the process? Santa has arrived early this year: here is a bag full of 10 practical tips how to do it.
1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” - the holiday season is all about gratitude and expressing appreciation towards each other. Hence, it is time to turn yourself and your team into office elves and pop into each other’s Christmas socks little handwritten “I am so thankful to you for…” notes every Friday throughout December. What a great way to finish off the work week and make one miss their team so much that they cannot wait for Monday to arrive again?!
2. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” - Christmas is about sharing and doing good, especially for those in need. And when “making the world a better place” together with your teammates, the bonding and unity is sure to enhance. How about giving your people some time off to volunteer together at a charity of their choice, whether baking and decorating ginger breads with children at orphanages or taking animal shelter dogs for walks out? Or organizing a charity event to collect woolly jumpers for the homeless to keep them warm during the frosty season? Ways to do good really are endless!
3. “Santa Baby” - fun and laughter is a definite way to bring people together. Why not to conduct during the week leading up to the holidays an Xmas dress up starting from Rudolph the Reindeer Monday to Candy Cane Friday with the worn outfits being everyone’s very own interpretation and creation? Or organize an ugly holiday jumper day (let’s admit it - we all have these “Ho Ho Ho” fashion faux pas hidden deep in our wardrobes)? Alternatively, Christmas songs karaoke (e.g. a team a day to take the stage) is also a sure way to have a good giggle!
4. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” - getting nostalgic watching the cheesy, but much loved Christmas movies from Home Alone to Elf with a variety of Christmassy nibbles on e.g. Thursday Xmas Film afternoon is a good way to spend some quality time together. It is time to admit that we watch them anyways (although until now only secretly between the four walls of our home), and generally we only go to movies with people we like, right? Great way to say “I like you!”.
5. “Fairytale of New York” - creativity is inspirational, and sharing ideas whilst making them real is the very basis of “we are a team”. For instance, do you have your own organization’s Xmas calendar? No? Well, make it then together of whatever your creativity inspires you to use for it. Perhaps also including into it little Christmas assignments for every day for team members to carry out, e.g. “Do something good today”, “Tell your colleague you appreciate them”, “Give your leader a warm hug”, etc. Sky isn’t the limit here, guys!
6. “The Christmas Song” - get them “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”. Love comes through the stomach (i.e. eating) is a saying not created in vain, and who doesn’t like food anyways?! Exactly which is why options here are limitless from creating an “We all cook together this Xmas” culinary event to a Great Xmas Bake Off with every team (member) baking their version of an Xmas flavored sweetie for others to munch on. Or something as simple as a ginger bread exhibition with every team member bringing in their own decorated ginger bread. Deliciously uniting!
7. “O Christmas tree” - it is all about creating the holiday spirit with the team spirit to match it, and an environment to support it. Bring in a Christmas tree and together not just decorate it, but also hand-make the decorations with whatever can be found amongst the office supplies. Unique and a tree with your very own “face”- guaranteed!
8. “Jingle Bells” - people who are active together, stay together! Go ice-skating, hiking in the winter wonderland or sledging with huskies. Together, of course! It will not only minimize the holiday stress and balance healthily out all the feasting fest, but also builds a mentality of “if I fall, these are the people to pick me up again (maybe even literally, in some cases)”.
9. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” - remembering that your team members are not just professionals, but also people with their nearest and dearest, then allow them to spend time with them during the holidays. Being flexible when the work schedule allows it and the goals are achieved, is highly appreciated and make people want to contribute even more. An odd later start or earlier finish works wonders for people’s motivation and success of the team as well as the organization as a whole. They feel valued, not only as professionals, but also as human beings! And this is huuuuge!
10. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” - celebrate, celebrate, celebrate! Make a party for and about YOUR people with the traditional grooving around the Xmas tree, smooching under the mistletoe, and sharing as well as making the memories together with a good hot cuppa mulled wine. Plus - be sure to also include activities uniquely true to your people! A festive award event to openly acknowledge each other always works a treat: usual “Best Employee/Team/Project of the Year” spiced up with some fun ones a la “The Sharpest Dresser/Hottest Phone Voice/Cheekiest Sales Tactics” etc. Yep, a little party never killed anybody!
Now you also have a Christmas soundtrack to get jamming to with your team during this festive season since - music elevates mood, lowers stress, and makes you happier. Happy people make a happy team who together make a happy (read: successful) organization. And remember: building and maintaining a bond isn’t just a Christmas theme, but must be the spirit of the whole year, each and every day. Merry Crimbo!
It came without bows.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
Maybe Christmas, he thought,
doesn’t come from a store…
Maybe Christmas, perhaps,
means a little bit more?”
(the Grinch from Dr Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”)
It is THE time of the year again - the almighty Christmas! - which bears in it so many different notions for different people: jolliness, excitement, peace, and love; but also exhaustion, stress, loneliness, as well as “let’s just get it over and done with!”. And in a team you are likely to have different people. With a variety of notions. Hence, how can you as a Leader support your people not just to survive it, but also truly boost them, whilst strengthening the bond and together actually also enjoying the process? Santa has arrived early this year: here is a bag full of 10 practical tips how to do it.
1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” - the holiday season is all about gratitude and expressing appreciation towards each other. Hence, it is time to turn yourself and your team into office elves and pop into each other’s Christmas socks little handwritten “I am so thankful to you for…” notes every Friday throughout December. What a great way to finish off the work week and make one miss their team so much that they cannot wait for Monday to arrive again?!
2. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” - Christmas is about sharing and doing good, especially for those in need. And when “making the world a better place” together with your teammates, the bonding and unity is sure to enhance. How about giving your people some time off to volunteer together at a charity of their choice, whether baking and decorating ginger breads with children at orphanages or taking animal shelter dogs for walks out? Or organizing a charity event to collect woolly jumpers for the homeless to keep them warm during the frosty season? Ways to do good really are endless!
3. “Santa Baby” - fun and laughter is a definite way to bring people together. Why not to conduct during the week leading up to the holidays an Xmas dress up starting from Rudolph the Reindeer Monday to Candy Cane Friday with the worn outfits being everyone’s very own interpretation and creation? Or organize an ugly holiday jumper day (let’s admit it - we all have these “Ho Ho Ho” fashion faux pas hidden deep in our wardrobes)? Alternatively, Christmas songs karaoke (e.g. a team a day to take the stage) is also a sure way to have a good giggle!
4. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” - getting nostalgic watching the cheesy, but much loved Christmas movies from Home Alone to Elf with a variety of Christmassy nibbles on e.g. Thursday Xmas Film afternoon is a good way to spend some quality time together. It is time to admit that we watch them anyways (although until now only secretly between the four walls of our home), and generally we only go to movies with people we like, right? Great way to say “I like you!”.
5. “Fairytale of New York” - creativity is inspirational, and sharing ideas whilst making them real is the very basis of “we are a team”. For instance, do you have your own organization’s Xmas calendar? No? Well, make it then together of whatever your creativity inspires you to use for it. Perhaps also including into it little Christmas assignments for every day for team members to carry out, e.g. “Do something good today”, “Tell your colleague you appreciate them”, “Give your leader a warm hug”, etc. Sky isn’t the limit here, guys!
6. “The Christmas Song” - get them “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”. Love comes through the stomach (i.e. eating) is a saying not created in vain, and who doesn’t like food anyways?! Exactly which is why options here are limitless from creating an “We all cook together this Xmas” culinary event to a Great Xmas Bake Off with every team (member) baking their version of an Xmas flavored sweetie for others to munch on. Or something as simple as a ginger bread exhibition with every team member bringing in their own decorated ginger bread. Deliciously uniting!
7. “O Christmas tree” - it is all about creating the holiday spirit with the team spirit to match it, and an environment to support it. Bring in a Christmas tree and together not just decorate it, but also hand-make the decorations with whatever can be found amongst the office supplies. Unique and a tree with your very own “face”- guaranteed!
8. “Jingle Bells” - people who are active together, stay together! Go ice-skating, hiking in the winter wonderland or sledging with huskies. Together, of course! It will not only minimize the holiday stress and balance healthily out all the feasting fest, but also builds a mentality of “if I fall, these are the people to pick me up again (maybe even literally, in some cases)”.
9. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” - remembering that your team members are not just professionals, but also people with their nearest and dearest, then allow them to spend time with them during the holidays. Being flexible when the work schedule allows it and the goals are achieved, is highly appreciated and make people want to contribute even more. An odd later start or earlier finish works wonders for people’s motivation and success of the team as well as the organization as a whole. They feel valued, not only as professionals, but also as human beings! And this is huuuuge!
10. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” - celebrate, celebrate, celebrate! Make a party for and about YOUR people with the traditional grooving around the Xmas tree, smooching under the mistletoe, and sharing as well as making the memories together with a good hot cuppa mulled wine. Plus - be sure to also include activities uniquely true to your people! A festive award event to openly acknowledge each other always works a treat: usual “Best Employee/Team/Project of the Year” spiced up with some fun ones a la “The Sharpest Dresser/Hottest Phone Voice/Cheekiest Sales Tactics” etc. Yep, a little party never killed anybody!
Now you also have a Christmas soundtrack to get jamming to with your team during this festive season since - music elevates mood, lowers stress, and makes you happier. Happy people make a happy team who together make a happy (read: successful) organization. And remember: building and maintaining a bond isn’t just a Christmas theme, but must be the spirit of the whole year, each and every day. Merry Crimbo!
