Santa Claus: Company Saint or Corporate Grinch?
Is everyone’s favourite holiday icon a good leader — or a bad one?
It is that time of the year again, when we start to think about Santa Claus, and how he had (or still has) such an influential role in our lives. When you think about it, the North Pole has the most efficient operation in the world, with Santa going to every home and delivering presents all in ONE night — it puts Aus Post to shame! But how can one person be so successful? On the surface, Santa may look like a one-man operation, but as we all know, he has a whole team working behind-the-scenes to making it happen.
Santa may be magical, but his role as a leader is not unlike those in our real-life working world, where effective leadership is crucial towards the success of the organisation.
So let’s give good ol’ Saint Nick some feedback, shall we: What makes Santa Clause a good leader, and what makes him a bad one?
The Good
Clarity of Vision — There is no denying that Santa is a very charismatic leader. But how does he inspire so many employees to work for him? That’s because he has established a clear and strong vision for his organisation. Ask any elf in the North Pole about what Santa’s vision is and you will get the same answer: To spread Christmas joy by giving presents to children around the world. Santa’s workers are aligned with the mission of his operation, and are therefore committed to making it happen. Research has shown that employees are more engaged with their work when their values and beliefs align with their leader’s vision for the company and feel a shared sense of purpose in their jobs.
Leading By Example — Another characteristic that makes Santa such a great leader is that he leads by example. He follows through on his promises, and is never late with the delivery of his presents.
Open to Feedback — A good leader is open to feedback, and even though his target market are the toughest critics when it comes to toys, Santa’s mailbox is open to every child in the world who want to write to him and be really honest about last year’s gifts.
The Bad
Lack of Career Growth — It’s no secret that Santa has been playing favourites when it comes to his reindeers. Rudolph has always been the leader of the sleigh, leaving no room for career progression and growth for others. As studies have found that opportunities for career progression drive employee commitment, Santa should be wise to provide give poor Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, and Dunder a chance to move up the sleigh-ladder!
Questionable Working Conditions — Think about it. As kids, we don’t really finalise what we really wanted from Santa until it’s closer to Christmas. So how do the poor elves meet such tight deadlines? Just what exactly goes on in those workshops? What kind of hellish hours would they have to work? In what I’m sure is a very scientific poll that asked people “Are Santa’s elves just slaves?”, 63% voted a resounding YES. Unsurprisingly, poor working conditions pose a risk to employee mental health and wellbeing, which directly translates to turnover and loss in productivity.
Lack of Team Recognition — Santa usually takes all the glory and credit for spreading Christmas cheer. He gets to have all the cookies and milk himself, when it’s actually the elves and reindeers that do all the hard work. Bah! Humbug!
For leaders of very real organisations with very real employees, there are real lessons to be learned here from how Santa runs things. With the year coming to a close, leaders tend to reflect on the performance of their business. However, it is equally as important to reflect on the contributions of your team that are responsible for your company’s success. Before the next Christmas rolls around, make sure you’ve embraced the good, and avoided the bad.
What kind of leader do you want to be in 2017?
