December: A Month for Leaders to Slow Down and See Their People

December always sneaks up on us.

One minute we’re talking about first-quarter goals, and the next we’re juggling year-end reports, holiday events, budgets, travel, and the emotions that come with closing out another year. It’s a month that can feel full and heavy and meaningful all at once.

If you lead people in any capacity — a sales team, a department, a company, a nonprofit, a membership organization — this is the month that quietly offers you an opportunity most leaders overlook.

December gives you a moment to slow down and see your people.

And I don’t mean the quick “thanks” at the end of a meeting or the mass email with a holiday greeting. I mean really see them. Notice what they’ve carried. Acknowledge what they’ve contributed. Recognize what they’ve battled that no one else knows about. Honor the growth they’ve fought for, not just the numbers they’ve produced.

Because the truth is this:

People don’t work harder for companies.

They work harder for leaders who make them feel valued.

In every keynote I delivered this year and every training room I stepped into, I was reminded of the same thing: people are tired. They’re overwhelmed. They’re stretched. But they’re also hopeful. And they’re craving leadership that feels human — leadership that cares enough to look up from the spreadsheets and deadlines long enough to say, “I see you. I appreciate you. I’m grateful for you.”

December, with all its noise and hustle, is the perfect time to do that.

A few simple ways to lead well this month:

1. Show appreciation in real words, not scripted ones.Tell someone exactly what they did this year that made an impact. Be specific. Be personal.

2. Ask your people how they’re really doing.Then stay quiet long enough to hear the answer.

3. Celebrate effort, not just achievement.Some of your team’s greatest wins this year won’t show up in your year-end summary. Recognize them anyway.

4. Give grace. Generously.The holidays can be beautiful for some and incredibly heavy for others. You may not know which is which. Lead with kindness.

5. Set the tone for the new year now.If you want a stronger culture, start building it before

January. Momentum doesn’t magically appear with a new calendar — it begins with leadership in moments like these.

As this year wraps up, take a breath. Look around at the people who help you do what you do. Let them feel your gratitude — not as a checkbox, but as a moment of connection.

Great leadership isn’t about the meetings you hold or the titles you carry. Great leadership is about the difference people feel because you are the one leading them.

Here’s to a December filled with perspective, gratitude, and meaningful connection. And here’s to the year ahead — a new opportunity to do it even better.

— Derron Steenbergen