After the New Year, the most widely celebrated holiday around the globe is likely Christmas.

Of course, this time of year, leaders often give out gifts of some type: Possibly bonuses, gift cards, or corporate schwag. This is good. People usually like money and cool stuff. But what you may not have considered is that the best gifts can’t be wrapped.

Consider this: Study after study shows that the primary motivators for workplace engagement and employee morale are intangible. They include:

• Feeling respected by management.
• Good relationships with co-workers.
• Being able to do challenging work.
• Being able to do meaningful work.
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• Compensation, the only tangible item on the list, is usually listed right around here. #6, #7, or #8 in terms of important motivators.

Compensation matters. But not as much as most leaders think. Other things matter more. And the higher the caliber of the employee, the more value they tend to place on the intangible.

Wouldn’t it make sense to give a gift that meets one of those deeper desires?

The first Christmas gift was a relationship

The story of the First Christmas includes the magi with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

A few hundred years later, St. Nicholas came along. He was a real person. Ethnically Greek, he was a bishop in what is now Turkey. He became famous, in part, for his generous gift-giving.

Their gifts inspired the modern tradition of gift-giving at Christmas.

But their gifts aren’t what Christmas is about. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians understand Jesus to be a divine gift of love, hope, and redemption. In a word, relationship. 

My point is that the first Christmas gift was never understood to be a thing. It was a person. Things were part of the story. But they aren’t the story. 

What if we can give a more meaningful gift? 

Here are a few ideas, of different gifts leaders can give. They will cost you little to nothing but may mean everything to those you lead:

• The Gift of Time and Attention: Time is a leader’s most precious commodity. Turn your phone off. Slow down and listen to your team. Make time to mentor.
• The Gift of Recognition & Encouragement: Acknowledge the efforts and contributions made by others.
• The Gift of Opportunity: Introduce people to key relationships, provide challenging projects, and help people grow, learn, and advance.
• The Gift of a Supportive Environment: Architect, champion and protect a culture of trust and respect. Nurture a rich team environment that enables others to grow.
• The Gift of Inspiration: Ensure the presence of a compelling, unifying vision. Remind your team of the importance of their role and contribution.

Conclusion

Still give bonuses, fruit cakes, and monogrammed vests. But don’t miss the opportunity to give something more. Something that may be truly meaningful and, potentially, transformative.

From my family to yours – Merry Christmas!

Christian

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