Sensible Holiday Guidelines by Linda Hatcher
Holiday office parties, gifts, and other goodwill gestures often turn from the “Ho, Ho, Ho” that was intended to “Ha-Ha-Ha” anecdotes about the indiscretions committed by inebriated bosses and their subordinates. Individual careers and corporate image can be made or broken at holiday gatherings. Over 90% of bosses DO note and later make decisions based upon the behavior of their subordinates at holiday parties, according to survey by a recruiting firm. (3) In addition, there is the potential “landmine” of excessive gift giving to clients and the ill-advised practice of holding company sponsored holiday parties where alcoholic beverages flow at no expense to the employees.
Yes, employers and employees alike have to be extremely careful not to let the holiday spirit create serious and often lasting problems. Our lead story in Leader Guide Magazine entitled Sensible Santa Guidelines, provides practical ways to ensure that everyone enjoys the holiday season without regrets. CLICK HERE.
The second featured article provides specific ideas about what to give and NOT give for corporate gifts this year. “A lot of companies have specific guidelines about what is acceptable or not and it is in the best interest of both the company and vendor to follow these guidelines to the letter,” advises business etiquette expert Laurie Freeman. CLICK HERE.
The holiday season should be a time to build bridges of goodwill with everyone involved in the enterprise. Appropriate gifts and parties are part of creating the season’s glad tidings. So give careful thought ahead of time to the issues involved in both areas and make wise decisions about your plans. If you do so, you will avoid potential legal issues and the kind of events that are fodder for “Seinfeld” office party episodes.
Finally, the second part of the article Holding Subordinates Accountable (CLICK HERE) is presented to help you deal with subordinates whom consistently do not perform to standard.
May you and your families have a most joyous and safe holiday season.
Inspiring Leadership Quote: "Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50% of your time in leading yourself–your own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct. Invest at least 20% leading those with authority over you and 15% leading your peers."
– Dee Hock Founder and CEO Emeritus, Visa
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