Hi everyone!
That’s my first post in this blog and under the nerds coding dome we call it “Hello World”. Before I would like to introduce myself. My name is Cassiano Tartari, I’m from Brazil, living in Florianópolis/SC, I’m 32 years old (1985). Currently I’m a full stack php developer (Symfony 🤘) and very addicted to outdoor sports, my favorite ones and most practiced are kitesurfing 🏄 and mountain biking 🚵.
I’d like to previously excuses me for any English mistakes and I would love to receive your feedback to improve my English, please correct me in the comment section. One of the objetives with this blog is to improve my English. And, as all we know, the best way to spread something is writing in English, so let’s stop the s*** talk and let’s rock!
I’m going to highlight some points of the book: The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus: How to Get Big Things Done in YOUR “Workshop”…All Year Long that I recently read.
Cover of The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus: How to Get Big Things Done in YOUR “Workshop”…All Year Long
This is a very good humor book about leadership lessons by Santa Claus. Is written in first person. Santa Claus explain to us how he deal with his employees (elves and reindeer) to achieve their hard mission, “Making spirits bright by building and delivering high-quality toys to good little girls and boys”. The reading flows easily, the book is very well written, I truly recommend it to you.
The first mark I’ve added in my Kindle is when Santa Claus says: “you can’t possibly focus on your mission without also focusing on the folks that make your mission happen”. This was said after he received a letter asking for a manager that cares as much about the writer as the work. For the employee is hard to be committed when there’s no reciprocation. So one of the first lessons is focus on your people as well as your purpose.
kind of off-topic this image but this is the purpose of my life. But don’t forget: focus on your people as well as your purpose.
After I would like to highlight a piece of the section “Let Values Be Your Guide” when Santa Claus is conducting a leadership development training session in the workshop classroom. And a student draw a model with 6 pillars representing the values: respect, integrity, quality, customer service, responsibility and teamwork. “I found them listed on our website. Maybe for some folks they’re just words, but for me, they’re blueprints to follow. And that’s where leadership comes in. Making sure that everyone knows what values are important, and then helping everyone turn those good beliefs into everyday behaviors is how leaders create a great place to work.”
Next, one think that’s is getting quite common in the tech industry nowadays: “open your ears to participation”. Involve workers in running operation — and in making decisions that affect them — is a key strategy for leadership success. So the lesson here is carefully listen to what everyone has to say, collect all feedback you can, pay attention of what they feel, but most important, act! And do it every day!
A key part of leadership should be the responsibility of regularly dedicate time to give recognition. Catch your team members doing things right — and letting them know they’ve been “caught” performing well. It’s amazing how the simple act of recognizing employees can puts an even broader smile on their faces — and will do in yours as well.
I would like to open an parentheses here, during this book the author is always talking about employees/subordinates or similar, but it is interesting to note that all the lessons given here are applicable in our daily relations: friends, teammates, relationship,…
Going back to recognition topic, Santa Claus has some “recognition rules”:
- Don’t wait until later to give the recognition because sometimes “later” never comes;
- Say exactly what they did that was positive. A simples “good job” doesn’t say much;
- Be appreciative. Tell team members what their good job means to you, to others and to your mission.
- Get personal. Give “different strokes to different folks”.
- Be proportional. The right amount of recognition to the size of the impact done.
Keeping rolling my notes in my Kindle I also highlighted a key Santa leadership principle: “the more employees understand about how business work, the more likely they are to accept and support change”. And this fit exactly with an presentation that I’ve seen today: The Spotify Playbook by Jonathan (you can find him developing software and coaching teams at Spotify) talking about the transparency of Spotify to all employees.
Nothing motivates employees more than knowing they’re making a difference. Find ways to make that happen in your workshop.
For last set the example! Imagine that you work in a fish bowl, you are constantly being watched and constantly teaching, you are the example. Your team learns about what’s acceptable behavior looking to you. There’s no getting around it. Follow the rules. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Always tell the truth.
I hope you have enjoyed my first post! I’d love to read your thoughts in comments section, you can make fun of my poor English, criticize what I’ve write, say hi, tell me a history that happen in your job, whatever, you got the point! See ya!
Header images from:
- http://www.freshphotography.com.au/santa-kiteboarding-christmas-brighton-st-kilda/
- https://dirtmountainbike.com/features/20-years-20-questions-nukeproof.html
🎁 Bonus!
I would like to recommend the course “Inspiring and Motivating Individuals” at Coursera created by University of Michigan. It’s excellent course and it’s totally related to the leadership topic.