The Gift Your People Need Most This Season.
As the year comes to a close, most leaders feel the pressure to finish strong. Projects need to wrap, metrics need to be met, and inboxes need to be cleared. In that push, giving often gets simplified into the obvious: donations, bonuses, gift cards, or holiday celebrations.
But the most transformative kind of giving in leadership is something far more human — and far more enduring.
Giving attention.
Giving honor.
Giving respect.
Giving people clarity.
These forms of giving don’t sit on a budget line.
They sit at the heart of culture.
And while your team may not remember every conversation, every meeting, or every directive from the year, they absolutely remember this:
How it felt to work with you.
Did they feel safe?
Supported?
Stretched in the right ways?
Did they feel like you saw their effort, not just their output?
Great leaders understand a fundamental truth:
Finishing the year strong is not about pushing harder — it’s about giving more generously.
And generosity in leadership isn’t passive. It’s intentional. It requires presence, awareness, and the willingness to pause long enough to acknowledge the quiet victories happening right in front of you.
Leadership Action: A Leadership Practice Worth Implementing
Host a “Giving in Motion” Conversation
If you want to close the year with meaning instead of just momentum, hold a simple, powerful 15-minute dialogue with your team or direct reports. This small practice creates disproportionate impact.
Here’s the structure:
Give Voice
“What did you learn about yourself this year?”
Giving voice means creating room for people to articulate their growth. Most team members rarely pause long enough to recognize their own progress. Leaders who invite reflection help people reclaim their confidence.
Give Recognition
“Where did someone’s support help you shine?”
This shifts focus from competition to contribution. It reminds people that performance doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens in community. Recognition elevates morale and strengthens trust.
Give Perspective
“What strength emerged that surprised you?”
People often underestimate what they’ve gained simply by navigating challenges. Leaders who help their teams see new strengths give them something more valuable than feedback: renewed identity.
Give Opportunity
“Where do you want to grow next year — and what support would help you get there?”
This is where giving becomes generative. Leaders who intentionally link reflection to future growth signal one powerful message: “I’m invested in you.”
Why This Matters More Than You Think
When leaders create space like this, people don’t just feel appreciated —they feel seen.
And being seen is the most generous gift a leader can give.
Because at its core, giving in leadership is not about presents.
It’s about presence.
It’s about pausing long enough to look someone in the eye and acknowledge the human journey behind the work.
And the space for people to recognize the very best in themselves.
That is the leadership advantage most leaders overlook —and the one your people will remember long after the metrics fade.
It’s a gift worth giving.
Up Next Month:
Learning Changes Everything.
It all starts with learning — the catalyst for growth and transformation. When we choose to learn, we open the door to new perspectives, new possibilities, and new levels of ourselves. Learning is what turns experience into wisdom, insight into action, and potential into progress. If you want to change your life, your leadership, or your organization, start with learning. Everything else follows.