Blog Posts

By Dr. Scott

If you are reading this and you still have Christmas shopping to do, I can assure you that you procrastinated a little too long.  However, if there are still a few individuals on your gift list that deserve an end of year bonus, then perhaps you should take a moment and make sure that some of the leaders in your life are on that list. 

In this Christmas 2024 edition of our Wednesday leadership series, we take a look at three gifts that leaders deserve this holiday season. 

Actual Gifts

If you’re interested in giving your boss or some other influential person in your life a physical gift, then there is a wide variety of personalized gifts, inspirational quote and pictures, books on leadership, and the like available for purchase.  If you missed last week’s blog on Leadership Trends 2025, one item we covered was the importance of leading by example and making sure that followers know that wellness, both mental and physical, is important.  With that in mind, one unique recommendation I came across was to give wellness packages in the form of passes or memberships to gyms or active clubs.  Other recommendations included wine tastings and other activities that promote relaxation or other wellness benefits.  Only you know what might be meaningful for the person you have in mind, but these types of gifts can be very impactful if given with thought and a heartfelt thank you, and can come to be cherished by the leaders we give them too. 

With regard to personalized gifts, one personal example I can share is from my soccer coaching days.  To this day, I have kept two mementos.  One is a small plaque with an inspirational quote which was given to me by a player that really excelled under my guidance.  The other item is a card from a player who was extremely talented, but with whom I struggled to connect with for some time.  In his card, he thanked me for eventually making that connection and helping him develop as a player and a person.  These mementos, gifts given with sincerity, remind me of my achievements as their coach and leader.

So, if its an actual gift that you have in mind, think about the relationship you have with that leader or individual and look for items that express those connections in some way.  You might just find your gift proudly displayed in their office or other prominent location.

Gratitude

Demonstrating gratitude to individuals who have influenced us is a great gift for leaders.  A heartfelt thank you note, email, or phone conversation is a great way to show gratitude and impact the leaders in our lives.  In fact, the thank you note is universally one of the easiest and most sincere way to show gratitude.

Though generational differences and change overtime have impacted the tradition of card giving, handwritten notes, letters, and cards are still held in high regard and can be much more impactful than an email or a text.  That being said, taking a few moments out of your holiday revelry to send texts to people in your life that you cherish and respect is a great habit to introduce into your holiday tradition and a great gift of gratitude for leaders.

Performance

A major part of a leader’s job description, no matter the leadership level or type, is goal setting and achievement.  What better gift to give an important leader in your life than steadily improving performance.  Quarterly and Annual performance reviews are a great way to show the leaders in your lives just how important they are to you.  Of course, stellar performance reviews do not simply occur, they must be worked for and achieved, but nothing makes a leader’s job easier than having their followers “buy in” to the ongoing projects and short and long-term project benchmarks. 

So, maybe like Clark Griswald’s last minute delivery on Christmas eve, there’s a chance that your gift to that leader in your life won’t arrive in time for Christmas, but will be enjoyed later in the year, perhaps in the first or second quarter of 2025.

Whichever gift strategy you choose, I encourage everyone to reflect back on 2024 and think about the people who influenced you and challenged you to be something more.  Those leaders deserve your gratitude and your respect in the coming new year, and perhaps…a gift.

Merry Christmas 2024 to all!  I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season!

Dr. Scott Eidson is the Executive Vice President of the Madison School of Professional Development and holds doctoral degrees in both history and business.  Dr. Scott is also in charge of all external illumination efforts for his household and usually goes a little overboard.