“Leaders are connectors.”
James Hopper
ESC 4 New Superintendent’s Cohort Leader
James Hopper
In this season, we often hear many phrases that are especially applicable to the holiday season and to what followers want from their leaders. One of those terms is peace. We often hear “Peace on Earth” at this season’s events; in ancient Hebrew, peace was called shalom, and in early Greek, Eirene. In ancient terms, Shalom meant more than the absence of armed conflict. Shalom fundamentally means wholeness or to make whole what is broken or incomplete with gaps. When considering presents at Christmas, a leader’s presence can create shalom, peace, and completeness. This is what workers want from their leaders. This is especially true in the holiday season, which is not always peaceful. Parkview Christian Church Teaching Pastor Tood Clark, speaking at the first of many Christmas services, challenged worshippers to go beyond people’s problems and pace. Pastor Todd noted that the underlying issue was a lack of peace or brokenness, a lack of completion or shalom.

In this season, we often hear many phrases that are especially applicable to the holiday season and to what followers want from their leaders. One of those terms is peace. We often hear “Peace on Earth” at this season’s events; in ancient Hebrew, peace was called shalom, and in early Greek, Eirene. In ancient terms, Shalom meant more than the absence of armed conflict. Shalom fundamentally means wholeness or to make whole what is broken or incomplete with gaps. When considering presents at Christmas, a leader’s presence can create shalom, peace, and completeness. This is what workers want from their leaders. This is especially true in the holiday season, which is not always peaceful. Parkview Christian Church Teaching Pastor Tood Clark, speaking at the first of many Christmas services, challenged worshippers to go beyond people’s problems and pace. Pastor Todd noted that the underlying issue was a lack of peace or brokenness, a lack of completion or shalom.

What would it be like if, in one’s leadership presence, the meaning of these terms were expanded to include shalom as making complete or complete for those you lead and serve? What would it be like if leaders expanded the definition of celebration to include celebrating the season and, more importantly, celebrating their followers in one or more leadership practices?
In a recent Netflix film, That Christmas, the narrator started the movie by stating that “Christmas is an emotional magnifying glass. What is good is great, and what is bad is terrible. Gallup polls note a significant gap between feelings of connection and leaders’ perceptions. Ryan Leak, in How to Work with Complicated People, cites research showing that 74% of American workers work with complicated people. This can be especially exhausting during the holiday season when we are all supposed to be happy, right? Leaders may want to reconsider expanding the definition of another term used frequentlyto help create peace or a sense of completion: celebration. What one’s followers really want from leadership is, instead of or in addition to, the presents they already have. Leadership presence can be expanded in the holiday season and beyond by broadening the definitions of two these two terms associated with the holidays: shalom and celebration. What would it be like if, in one’s leadership presence, the meaning of these terms were expanded to include shalom as making complete or complete for those you lead and serve? What would it be like if leaders expanded the definition of celebration to celebrating the season and, more importantly, celebrating the followers in one/s leadership practice?

This week’s early edition of Thursday’s Leadership Insight asks: What would it be like if leadership presence enhanced completeness, shalom, and celebrated followers as well as the season? Five strategies will be shared that create shalom and celebration.

Followers rarely remember what leaders gave them at Christmas, but they always remember how leaders made them feel seen, known, and valued. This season, followers are longing less for presents and much more for a leader’s presence in celebrating people, not just the season.
Christmas is a season of light, hope, and joyful celebration, making it the perfect time to intentionally shift to celebrating the people you serve and lead, not just the calendar holiday. When leaders use this season to highlight the stories, growth, and contributions of their followers, it signals that people are more important than parties, budgets, or end-of-year reports; they are whole or possible, and can become more whole through celebration at this time and beyond. A growing body of research shows that authentic recognition significantly boosts engagement, loyalty, and emotional connection to the organization, making “presence over presents” a strategic choice rather than a sentimental one. This practice can enhance a sense of belonging and the possibility of shalom, or peace and completion.

An intentional plan to celebrate followers goes beyond generic “thank yous” to meaningful, specific appreciation of who they are and how they show up. Gallup and Workhuman’s research finds that when employees feel seen and valued, recognition can prevent up to 45% of voluntary turnover and significantly increases positive emotions at work. That means a Christmas season of intentional leadership presence can have ripple effects well into the new year through higher engagement, stronger relationships, and a more profound sense of shared mission, celebration, and shalom.

Presents are transactional; intentional, authentic leadership presence is transformational, bringing celebration and completeness. A gift card can say “I remembered you,” but your focused time, listening, coaching, and tailored appreciation say “You matter to me when you did … and contributed to this mission.” Leadership research on recognition shows that frequent, authentic acknowledgment of effort and growth increases discretionary effort, motivation, and commitment. When people are recognized for overcoming challenges, learning new skills, or quietly holding things together in a tough season, they feel emotionally connected, not just compensated. They feel celebrated and a degree of completeness.

Holiday leadership articles consistently highlight that the “holiday spirit” at work is most potent when expressed through empathy, listening, and generosity of time and attention, not just events and swag. Presence looks more like authentic, unhurried conversations, handwritten notes, and leaders who notice the invisible load people are carrying at home and at work and respond with flexibility, care, and support. This is the kind of leadership that reflects the deeper meaning of Christmas: sacrificial love, humility, and the choice to draw near, celebration, and shalom.

Thoughtful celebration of followers at Christmas is not a “soft” extra; it is an essential culture-building practice with measurable impact. Research from Gallup and Workhuman shows that employees who receive high-quality recognition are more engaged, more productive, and significantly less likely to leave the organization. Regular appreciation fuels intrinsic motivation, the desire to go the extra mile because the work feels meaningful and the person feels valued.

Beyond metrics, celebration builds connection and bridges differences. Leadership and leadership presence create connection. When leaders publicly recognize both accomplishments and personal milestones, teams report stronger relationships and a greater sense of belonging. Followers who feel “seen” as whole people, especially in an emotionally magnified season like Christmas, are more likely to trust their leaders, support colleagues, and contribute to a healthier, more resilient culture.

Five Christmas practices to celebrate everyone and create completion

Here are five practical, holiday-seasoned themed ways leaders can celebrate all in the organization, far beyond office parties or generic gift cards:

Story of the Season spotlights Throughout December, highlight “Stories of the Season” that name specific people or teams and what they did this year to overcome challenges, serve others, or grow. Leadership presence can expand the focus on character and contribution, not just metrics: the team that stayed late to serve a client, the quiet staff member who mentored a new hire, the custodian who kept things running during a storm. Public storytelling creates visibility, dignity, and a sense that “people like me are noticed here,” which research shows directly correlates with engagement and retention, celebration, and shalom.

2. Schedule authentic presence by meetings instead of performance meetings. Schedule short, one-on-one Christmas check-ins with each person, focused on presence, not evaluation. Ask three questions: “How are you really doing this season?” “What are you proud of from this year?”, and “How can I support you better next year?” Holiday leadership presence that emphasizes giving time and active listening is one of the most impactful gifts a leader can offer. These conversations not only celebrate and communicate care but also help you understand each person’s aspirations and struggles, creating a season of shalom. These practices fuel better coaching in the new year.
3. Gratitude letters under the ‘tree’or in their office. Replace or supplement physical presents with personalized gratitude letters placed in a symbolic “gratitude tree” or digital equivalent. Research on recognition shows that specific, authentic individualized appreciation, naming concrete contributions and their impact, is far more potent than generic praise. Encourage celebration using peer-to-peer notes as well; when recognition flows across the organization rather than just top-down, employees report higher levels of belonging and community.
4. Celebrated to recognize unseen work and unsung roles. Design a specific Christmas moment to celebrate those whose work is often invisible: night staff, support teams, back-office roles, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, cafeteria teams, or IT staff who keep things running. Studies on recognition show that many employees feel overlooked, with only about a quarter reporting they receive adequate acknowledgment at work. By intentionally naming and celebrating these roles, leaders send a strong message that every contribution matters, not just those on the organizational “front stage.”
5. Use a celebration to create a “Light for the Year Ahead” blessing or commissioning. Close the year with a symbolic “lighting” moment, perhaps a short celebration where you share a vision of hope for your people, bless their growth, and express your commitment to their development in the coming year. Holiday leadership presence will highlight that integrating empathy, appreciation, and support into year-round goals creates celebration and completion that result in more cohesive, motivated teams. A leader’s authentic celebration of this moment of concrete commitments builds bridges to development opportunities, mentoring, and clearer pathways for growth, reinforcing that your presence will continue beyond the Christmas season in Celebration and Completeness, shalom.

John Maxwell teaches that every follower is silently asking three questions of their leader: “Can you help me?” “Do you care about me?”, and “Can I trust you?” A holiday season approach that prioritizes leadership presence over presents answers each of these questions in practical, relational ways throughout the season.

In a season often defined by busyness and consumerism, and a focus on people, problems, and pace, leaders have a countercultural opportunity: to give the gift of presence that expands celebration and shalom or completeness.

A leader’s choice to practice presence to expand on celebration and shalom creates completeness and answers three fundamental questions that their leaders have, as noted by expert Dr. John C. Maxwell.

1. Do you know me? Personalized celebrations create recognition, one-on-ones, and gratitude letters communicate that you see each person as a complete individual with a story, not just a role or FTE. When you name specific strengths, sacrifices, and growth, you are effectively saying, “I know who you are, what you’ve carried, and know that you matter here,” answering that deep Christmas-season longing to be known, celebrated, and complete, or shalom.
2. Can you help me? Presence is the foundation of helpfulness and working to make complete or shalom. When leaders listen deeply and presently during year-end check-ins and then follow with coaching, resources, or development pathways, followers see that their leader can tangibly help them grow. Research links development-focused recognition with higher engagement because employees feel their leaders invest in their future, not just their current output.
3. Can I trust you? Trust grows when leaders consistently do what they say, honor people’s contributions, and avoid performative gestures. A Christmas culture of presence—where recognition is authentic, not manipulative or a once-a-year event reinforces that the leader’s words and actions align, building the relational currency that Maxwell calls essential to leadership presence. When people repeatedly experience care, fairness, and follow-through, the answer to “Can I trust you?” becomes a confident yes.

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In a season often defined by busyness and consumerism, and a focus on people, problems, and pace, leaders have a countercultural opportunity: to give the gift of presence that expands celebration and completeness, where followers are for who they are and who they are becoming. When leaders choose to be fully present, to recognize, bless, and champion their people, the Christmas season becomes more than a holiday; it becomes a turning point in trust, connection, and shared purpose that carries into the year ahead. It creates individual celebration and shalom. Your leadership presence will not eradicate everyone’s challenges, yet it can create shalom and individual celebration in their workplace.

The leadership question for you is.

In your leadership practice, do you use your presence to help those you lead feel more complete?

In your leadership practice, do you celebrate individuals as well as the season?