A Couple of Holiday Fruitcakes

A Couple of Holiday Fruitcakes

So you've been a success in 2022? 

The congratulations can be short lived when business owners have to mitigate the holiday slump, corporate gift giving and the worst of all-fruitcakes!

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‍The Holiday Slump

Keeping team members productive isn't the only issue around the holidays- many of your potential client pools have exhausted their budgets for the year and also have team members scrambling for the holiday wind down. Understanding that everyone is in the same holiday bustle is key. Let’s be real- are we really getting meaningful work done if stuck in the office at 6pm on Christmas eve? No. 

So how can a true leader move its troops through that slump?

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Plan a Holiday Party

Whether being remote or in office- having a dedicated team celebration shows your work family that productivity is a must up until this date and then after the party- feel free to breathe and pivot to your personal holiday madness.

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Manage Expectations

Not all startups and tech businesses have slumps during the holiday-do we remember the recent Ticketmaster debacle with one Miss Taylor Swift? Or perhaps the Amazon Prime madness that is cyber Monday? No matter the flow of your workload during the holidays, be sure to manage your clients expectations as to how you can be reached and what goals will be reached for their projects during this time.

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‍Corporate Gift Giving

Elevating that client relationship year round is easy- schedule deeper meetings, stay in touch, have face to face interactions, travel to their location- the list can be as creative as possible- but when it comes to holiday gift giving-what is the most appropriate, thoughtful and dare we mention cost effective way, to make your clients feel valued without feeling homogenous.

Choosing something meaningful seems to be key but what could be more meaningful than returning on their investment by providing world class service and above caliber work product? 

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We’ll wait…mic drop anyone???

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‍Fruitcakes

There won't be any real fruitcakes harmed in this production of this blog- we promise!!!

Fruitcakes seem to be the real lump of coal when it comes to holiday treats- and you can't welcome the holidays without having those lumps of coal.

Not everything during the holidays are sugar plum fairies and twinkling lights. The anxiety that can stir in business owners around this time is real. Can we create true innovation in the next year? Did we show our clients true value and returns in the previous year and if we struggled how do we mitigate those hurdles and come out triumphant in the new year? 

This anxiety can range from imposter syndrome to true fear that your business may not make it through what is to be a definite deflation period in the coming years.

Take a deep breathe and remember these core elements that will bring you back to center and able to lead with kindness and hopefully less stress:

• Business is cyclical: Good times come and go- as do the bad…
• Time, Listening and Kindness are all intentional actions
• Accountability is key
• Understand that you’re not going to have all of the answers

If 2022 has taught us anything it is that change is inevitable- whether it be in the world of fintech, proptech, workforce management, workspace management and even in your own personal world.

Learn to adapt. Learn to accept. And if all else fails, crack open those packages of fruitcake you set aside from that crazy aunt you see only once a year and go bananas!!!

2023 is upon us…