As the grandfather of two grandsons, I’ve been spending a lot of time reading Christmas classics to them (although Everett, who is not quite two months old, seems to be more entranced with the pictures than the words). One of our favorites is Clement C. Moore’s A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Reading those familiar words — “his eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!” — brought back memories from my childhood of our parents reading to my siblings and me. But that’s not all.
In a moment of holiday self-reflection, I contemplated Santa’s herculean feat of traveling around the world in 24 hours to spread Christmas joy to children everywhere. And then it hit me like a snowball!
There’s only one way that Santa could accomplish everything on his list. He is a values-based leader!
Here’s how Santa relies on my four principles of values-based leadership and for far more than assessing who has been naughty and who has been nice.
- Self-Reflection: Just imagine working all year for a phenomenal event and then spending the next 12 months getting ready to do it all again. (My friends who are retail executives can certainly relate.) How can Santa stay motivated, year after year, and keep up with increasing demand (the world population has roughly quadrupled in the past 100 years)? Clearly, he engages in the first principle of self-reflection.
Just like values-based leaders everywhere, Santa self-reflects daily to identify his priorities and his progress toward achieving them. No matter that Santa is magical (a clear advantage over the rest of us), he still needs to step back, filter out the noise, and gain clarity on issues — from improving supply distribution to dealing with AI (in his case, artificial icicles). - A Balanced Perspective: There’s no hierarchy in the North Pole. It’s a true meritocracy where everyone’s opinion, feedback, and input matter. (How do I know this? A global toy-and-gift empire that is also a nonprofit would have folded centuries ago if everyone on the team didn’t give 100 percent). Throughout the year, Santa relies on a cross-functional team of elves who work seamlessly together. Then, come Christmas Eve, it’s all about that highly competent group of specialists known as Santa’s Reindeer. Needless to say, it takes a balance of multiple perspectives to run an operation this complex. And when there are disagreements at the North Pole, Santa can convene his team of trusted advisors to sort out any problems, from reindeers who refuse to fly to a breakdown in the workshop.
- True Self-Confidence: Like all of us, Santa Claus knows his strengths and weaknesses. His talents include his exceptional generosity and incredible innovation (just think of the centuries of development, from carved wooden figures to toys with computer chips). Santa’s weaknesses include holding tightly to tradition (he hasn’t changed his red-velvet wardrobe in centuries). No matter, like all values-based leaders, Santa has brought together a team whose strengths are complementary to his weaknesses, including developing the younger generation of elves who are rebranding Santa’s image. (Just ask their style spokesperson: John Travolta and his Holiday Night Fever.) Santa’s true self-confidence doesn’t come from his Christmas magic, but rather self-reflection on who he is and what he can improve.
- Genuine Humility: Superstars and icons come and go, but none of them have the staying power of Santa Claus. (One blog I read called him the world’s most recognizable brand). Despite such fame and generations of fans, Santa is a genuinely humble individual who thinks more of others than himself. He knows where he comes from though the details may be fuzzy for the rest of us (his origin story varies—from 4th century Greece to centuries of folklore). What is undeniable is the respect he shows to every person, everywhere. And even if Santa puts someone on the naughty list, informed sources say that with a little effort those names make it to the nice list.
Santa Claus may just be the ultimate values-based leader—and it’s far more than just the presents he gives. His real gifts are his ability to change, grow, and forgive, with generosity that knows no bounds.
