Leadership Traditions

In a few days we celebrate Christmas. It is fun and family time around my home. As our children have gotten older, I’ve started to ask them what they like the most about our Christmas traditions. We got everything from we love the toys (not the clothes, from my 14 year old son), putting up the tree, secret Santa gifts, Christmas Eve readings of the Christmas stories, and all the Christmas movies we watch.

The one traditions mentioned that made me happiest, because it reminds me of my childhood, was making Christmas cookies. I now have a daughter who loves to bake. This year she became the Chief Baker in our family and started making many of the favorite cookies we all love. She took great care to ask each family member what was their favorite cookie, and then she made sure to make that kind. Such fond memories we continue to make with this tradition.

As work started to slow down in preparation for the holidays, this cookie making miracle had me thinking about the leadership traditions I have or use in my work. In my daily life, I began to assess if there are repetitive behaviors or actions I take which could be seen as traditions to people I work with regularly. Then the next thought was to ask if these traditions are either positive or negative toward my desire to become a stronger and more efficient leader. How would I know if these traditions are worth keeping or not?

Having traditions can offer you a sense of standard work, of continuity, or proven success. Traditions offer repetitive expectations and help manage expectations. They provide a framework for all to understand how things work and allow new people into the “family” to see how things are done in this family. It also goes a long way in helping new members to feel a part of the family. They know exactly what they can do to become a productive and valued part of the family. Follow the traditions and you become a part of the family.

As you discuss traditions in the framework of your job, the enlightened among us become a little ruffled. Traditions to them mean the status quo. They see these as continuing to “do what we have always done” and forgoing positive change. Followers of traditions are seen as outdated, not focused on improvement, being stuck in only one option, and keeping creative ideas in a jar. To some, traditions are the antithesis of change and improve. Great leaders need to make change, constantly looking to make change, and to never be satisfied for what you have done in the past.

So, my leader friends, who is correct?

Can I say, both?

As I was reminiscing about my Christmas traditions and discussing them with my children, I shared how when I was a child, Christmas morning was a special breakfast for us. Being raised out in the country and living a farmer’s life, we didn’t indulge in a lot of fun things. Donuts were one of them. But on Christmas morning, the only morning of the year, we had donuts! It was the most special meal of the year in my opinion. My children asked when I changed from the Christmas tradition of donuts to our tradition today. It changed when I had my own children.

The power of traditions you have in leadership usually serve to get your foundation started. You probably learned a lot of your early traditions from your early leaders, both good and bad. You learned how to provide tough feedback to a coworker, how to balance the demands of a unit schedule, a great way to interview people for effective hiring, and how to make a convincing presentation to executives. Many of those traditions have served you well and got you started. Amazingly enough, you probably in your time have launched new leaders with your traditions. That is a part of this amazing journey of leadership!

Then comes a time when you have to evaluate your traditions and look to see if they are serving you well. And when is it time to change your traditions.

I see the use of traditions as a dynamic part of leadership. There is power to adhering to them and there is power in changing them. As you go through your work, your use of traditions goes without notice until a variable in your work life changes. Then problems arise. At this point, the leader needs to take action and look for how the problems began, what are the problems, and then a course of action to fix the problems. That is a facet of leadership. The next facet is putting into place a process so the problem won’t return. This is where traditions and change are seen as enemies.

Traditions offer security and continuity, all important for a safe work environment.

Leaders need to know when traditions have to be changed, dropped, or updated. But not forgotten. There is power with traditions. And traditions are not always positive. Leaders who follow negative traditions of backstabbing, gossiping, not showing integrity in their words have the same effect as the traditions of building relationships, personal involvement, and honest engagements with colleagues. They influence the work environment.

The holiday season has become a time of reflection for many of the experiences of the past year. It then seems like a great time for leaders to look at their past year. What a wonderful gift you can give yourself if you would assess your leadership traditions. If you wanted to, what is working well for you and which traditions are causing you to be less then you want to be in your organization. You have a chance to review and determine what traditions need to stay, which ones need alteration, and which ones need to go in the memory box. Some of your traditions at one time served you well, but maybe the situation, the social fabric, the organizational culture has changed. It is probably time for you to change as well.

Take a bold step and look at those traditions. And then look to see if it is time for new ones. Something has changed in the last year, you should have too. The key to your future success in the new year is knowing when you need to make new traditions in your leadership.

I for one am glad my family is experiencing some of the wonderful traditions I had in my childhood. Sharing them with my family helps me feel a bond of connectedness. During this time, I am also thrilled with the new traditions we have started. We are starting new and exciting things for our family to pass on as traditions.

Likewise you can do the same with your leadership. Celebrate the traditions which are helping you lead well, modify traditions which need some updating, and create new traditions where your life needs expansion and growth. There is nothing more exciting to a leader then to improve their leadership and to grow.

At this Christmas and holiday season, I wish you best and most joyous time as you celebrate in the traditions of your family. Take a moment and reflect on your leadership traditions and what you want to do with them in the New Year. And while you do that…enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a fresh baked cookie!

Leading with you,

Dean

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Give a gift of knowledge and share this with a friend!

“Like” us and visit us on Facebook and at RN2Leader.com!