University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus
Book

The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus

How to Get Big Things Done in Your “Workshop” ... All Year Long

Eric Harvey
Simple Truths, 2015
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Eric Harvey, best-selling author of Walk the Talk and founder of the consultancy of the same name, offers Santa Claus as a metaphor of terrific leadership. He packs his slight book with insights about how to overcome challenges, and he clearly takes great joy in his metaphor. Santa’s number-one priority is his mission – “delivering high-quality toys to good little girls and boys” – and he makes sure his elves and reindeer understand how they connect to it. Santa shares other leadership tips, such as taking your time when hiring or promoting, listening to your employees, accepting change, confronting problems directly and fulfilling a mission that matters. This advice is all milk and cookies you’ve consumed a thousand times before, but you’ve never had it presented to you by Santa. Harvey’s extended Christmas construct makes his book fun and easy to read. getAbstract recommends this stocking stuffer to managers who’d like some basic but always handy personnel pointers – with a dash of holiday spirit.

Summary

Being Santa

Santa Claus faces shifting demands, a challenging production schedule and a hostile work environment. He has to attract talented employees and convince them to relocate to the North Pole. He also must “retool his plant – and retrain his people” annually to build the gifts that are most in demand each year. Despite the challenges, Santa Claus loves what he does.

Build Your Foundation

It all starts with your foundation – your mission. Santa and his workforce are happy and productive because of their mission: “Making spirits bright by building and delivering high-quality toys to good little girls and boys.” North Pole staff members know that mission, and they understand how they contribute to it. Santa posts the mission statement on the workshop’s walls, discusses it in staff meetings and includes it in the elves’ and reindeer’s everyday activities. He knows that good leaders:

  • Stay physically and mentally accessible to their employees.
  • Listen to their employees’ concerns and are considerate about their needs.
  • Give their employees resources for success, including training, tools and feedback.
  • Keep their employees ...

About the Author

Eric Harvey is the author of 25 books, including the bestsellers Walk the Talk and Ethics 4 Everyone. He is the founder and president of the Walk the Talk Company.

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