For a long time people have told me they thought I was a really good leader. I accepted that graciously but frankly I never sat down and really analyzed what I was doing. Like many entrepreneurs, I do things by gut instinct- hire people, make capital buying decisions, try new product introductions and much more. That does not mean that I am reckless. I conduct the research and consult experts however much of what I do as the leader of my company I do because it feels right. All of this worked well for me until I was trying to help others in my organization develop their leadership skills.

There is no doubt about it. It is hard to keep things moving along during the holidays. Clients are busy trying to wrap up their year-end and are pressing with last minute requests before budgets disappear. There are projects that they need to get rolling in 2014 after the long holiday season. There are extended vacations. There are stops and starts because Christmas and the New Year fall within the week. Let’s face it… it is a wonder anything can get done. Staying productive during this or any holiday season requires a huge effort. There are a few different schools of thought about how to accomplish that.