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6 business lessons we can learn from Santa Claus

Posted by Jessica Bumby on Dec 23, 2016 12:21:58 PM
Jessica Bumby

IMG_2030.pngMaking a list, checking it twice, whizzing around with a sack-load of stuff to do and no time to do it in…sound familiar? Yet somehow, Mr Claus seamlessly manages this magnificent feat year upon year with an unfaltering jolly disposition. Join us as we steal* some tips from the world’s most experienced project planner, Old Saint Nick.

*that's us on the Naughty List

1. Delegate

We don’t recommend calling your staff “elves”, but we do recommend identifying their strengths to ensure that they are achieving their full potential. Just as Santa wouldn’t put Elf Carpenter Kev on Princess Fairy Sprinkle duty, you wouldn’t ask Technophobe Tina to train everyone on the new CRM system. Identify staff strengths, build on these, and delegate wisely.

 

2. Make a list

He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, because he’s blooming brilliant at planning. A good old-fashioned to-do list has stood the test of time at focusing the mind and keeping us on track with the important stuff, but the good old-fashioned pen and paper are out, and Apps are in. Check out this list from The Muse of the top 10 to-do Apps for 10 kinds of people or Oliver's favourite productivity apps here.

Not one for to-do lists? Try Hubspot’s To-Don’t List.

 

3. Treat yourself (and your staff)

Santa Claus may work hard on Christmas night delivering presents to every household in the world, but he makes sure that he’s rewarded for it with mince pies, cookies, milk and the occasional tipple. Even his trusty steed Rudolph gets a treat (granted, a carrot doesn’t float everybody’s boat).

It’s no myth that happy staff = high productivity, in fact, Warwick University found that happy staff were 12% more productive. What makes people happy? Treats! Here are a few recipes to tickle your taste buds. What about the health-conscious staff we hear you ask? Well, they can always say “no-ho-ho”, but they’ll still appreciate the gesture.

 

4. Grant wishes

Every year, children send their wish lists to Santa safe in the knowledge that he will not let them down. Santa Claus offers a wish-granting service that’s hard to be beaten. Even the threat of coal in the stocking rarely comes to fruition for even the naughtiest of kids, resulting in impeccable customer satisfaction ratings.

Take a little inspiration from Santa and ask yourself, am I really delivering on my brand promise? More branding advice here:

 

5. Know your niche

When you think of smartphones, what brand springs to mind? When you think of peri-peri chicken, which restaurant comes to mind? And when you think of Christmas, which jolly rosy-cheeked man comes to mind? We might be leading you slightly with that last one, but you get our point.

As the famous quote from Abraham Lincoln goes, “whatever you are, be a good one”. Knowing your niche makes you an expert in your area, an essential element when formulating a brilliant business idea. Santa’s peri-peri pittas might be nothing to write home about, but his festive know-how is hot hot hot!

 

6. Love your location

Santa’s business is Christmas, and doesn’t he do it well? So it makes sense for Santa HQ to be based in the North Pole.

You want your office space to reflect who you are, what you do, and to help you to achieve the highest level of success. Impress your staff, your clients and visitors with great workspace and you’ll find that it’s certainly worth the investment. Take a look at this blog post from London-based Hubble, who sum up the importance of a happy workplace .

We don’t have office space in the North Pole just yet, but we do have luxury serviced offices in Leeds. Why not arrange a look around? You could find yourself enjoying a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Office in 2017!

Click here to book a viewing today

 

 

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