Episode 30: 12 Leadership Micro Moments That Make December Magical | 12MinuteLeadership

The holidays should feel meaningful—yet with deadlines, family expectations, and nonstop to-dos, even the joyful stuff starts to feel like maintenance.

This week’s episode offers a better path: twelve tiny, intentional practices that reset your presence, build connection, and help your team finish strong without burning out.

Inside the episode you’ll hear how to:

• Incorporate small, but meaningful traditions to make this busy season fun and light
• Add low-effort rituals that boost energy 
• Keep your team engaged to finish the year strong
• Use music, environment, and micro-breaks to reduce stress
• Say no to one nonessential thing—and feel your capacity return
• Unplug for real so you come back with clarity and presence

These moves are intentionally small—easy to repeat, easy to sustain, and powerful enough to shift the tone for how you show up with your team.

If you love this episode, share it with another leader who needs the reminder to slow things down and savor the season, not just survive it.

Subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also pick up my book, "Lead Anyone", on Amazon.

Then, go to my website to check out ways that we can support your leadership goals.
From executive retreats to customized training and coaching, my team of experts will help you level up your leadership and accelerate your results.

Go to www.eliseboggs.com for more info.

Follow on Instagram: @12minuteleadership

Order my book, Lead Anyone!

Episode Transcript

Speaker (00:02):
Welcome to the 12-Minute Leadership Podcast,
where in 12 minutes or less,I'll share small things that you
can put into immediate practicethat will make a big difference
in your leadershipeffectiveness.
I'm your host, Elise BoggsMorales, leadership professor,
consultant, and coach.
For the last 17 years, I havehelped thousands of leaders

(00:25):
level up their influence andachieve remarkable results.
If you want to trade compliancefor true commitment and create
your dream team, you are in theright place.
Get ready for a quick hit ofpractical wisdom to increase
your team's engagement, inspiretop performance, and retain your
best talent.
Ready to level up yourinfluence and get better

(00:46):
results?
12 minutes starts now.
Hi everyone, Elise here.
Welcome to episode 30.
It's December, and the holidayseason is officially in full
swing.
I was in a leadership meetingrecently when one of the
attendees started sharing,almost frantically, about

(01:08):
everything on her plate.
Year-end deadlines, holidayhosting, Christmas cards, kids'
school performances, and youcould feel the pressure in her
voice.
It's so easy for this season tobecome a long list of to-dos,
and somewhere in the chaos, themagic disappears.
When I was growing up on theEast Coast, the holidays felt

(01:29):
like a completely differentworld.
I remember the excitement ofthe first snowfall and sledding
down the giant hill behind ourhouse, my mom frosting the
windows with spray snow, thefireplace crackling with real
logs while we watched theChristmas story under a pile of
blankets.
There was wonder, there wasslowness, there was presence.

(01:50):
Now, as leaders carryingsignificant responsibilities,
it's easy to lose that.
We get so caught up inexecuting the season that we
forget to experience it.
But here's the truth.
Leaders do more than managetasks.
We shape the emotional tone ofthe season for the people we
lead.
How you show up becomes theclimate your team feels.

(02:12):
So in the spirit of the 12 daysof Christmas and of course
12-minute leadership, I want toshare 12 leadership micro
moments that you can weave intoyour December.
So what are micro moments?
These are small, intentionalactions that you can integrate
into your existing day.
Nothing extra, nothingoverwhelming, just simple

(02:33):
moments that help you staypresent, grounded, and
connected.
So this season becomes bothproductive and meaningful.
When the calendar is full andexpectations are high, micro
moments bring us back to whatmatters.
So today is meant to be fun,light, and life-giving in the
midst of a demanding month.
Choose one or two from thislist.

(02:54):
That's it.
Let's dive in.
Here are 12 leader micromoments to make this season
magical.
Number one, look at somethingbeautiful between meetings.
Stay with me here.
Look outside your window.
Notice a tree, the colors thathave changed in this season, the
light.
Beauty softens your mentalstate and resets your presence.

(03:17):
Have you noticed how relaxedyou feel after spending time in
nature?
You can recreate a one-minuteconnection and experience a
similar feeling.
Number two, start a meetingwith a favorite holiday
tradition.
We know that different peoplecelebrate different holidays,
but it's always neat to hear thetraditions that people have.

(03:38):
It's nostalgic, it'sconnective.
It reminds your team thatthey're human beings first,
employees second.
You could also put thisquestion in a common area of
your office and have peoplewrite their answers.
Number three, create a smallseasonal tradition just for your
team.
Peppermint hot chocolateFridays, holiday cookie day, a

(04:00):
surprise raffle for PTO.
Tiny traditions createbelonging and anticipation, and
they make hectic seasons a lotmore fun.
Number four, write a short,personalized note to each key
team member.
Not a template, a real specificappreciation.
It lands deeply this time ofyear and helps people be

(04:22):
motivated to finish well.
Number five, play music thatelevates the atmosphere.
Christmas music, instrumentaljazz, sound changes energy.
Make this season a little bitmore fun with changing up the
music that you play.
Number six, use your favoritemug from home instead of the

(04:43):
generic office cup.
Let something ordinary feel alittle more special.
Small delight changes mood.
Number seven, savor somethingyou only enjoy this time of
year.
I love going to Starbucks andgetting their peppermint hot
chocolate.
I love that only this time ofyear Trader Joe's carries their

(05:04):
peppermint JoJo's.
The treat itself isn't thepoint.
The intentional savoring isgive yourself a little treat to
enjoy during the day.
Number eight, simplifysomething that has become
unnecessarily complicated.
If the office gift exchange isstressing people out, simplify
it.
If an approval process isbottlenecking, streamline it.

(05:27):
If a family tradition feelsheavy, update it.
Simplification restoresemotional capacity.
Number nine, don't work duringone of your commutes this week.
Listen to music, a fun podcast.
Call a friend you've beenmeaning to catch up with.
Let your mind breathe.
Number 10.

(05:47):
Take a midday walk and let yoursenses wake up.
Feel the air, look at thedecorations, eat something warm.
For 10 minutes, let your mindtake a mini vacation.
Number 11, say no to somethingyou would normally say yes to.
Protect your capacity.
Not everything is required.

(06:09):
Let ease be part of yourDecember.
And number 12, take time offand truly unplug.
If you're physically out of theoffice but mentally still in
it, you're not resting.
A real break resets youridentity, creativity, and
presence.
So in closing, this wholeepisode was inspired by a very

(06:32):
intense season in my own lifewhen I desperately needed space
but couldn't take a longvacation.
So I started practicing micromoments and they changed
everything.
There was more ease, morebalance, more connection, more
getting back to myself.
Because when you feel likeyourself, you lead like
yourself.
And as the leader, you set thetone for your culture, your

(06:56):
team, and even your own family.
You owe it to yourself and toothers to take especially good
care of your capacity duringseasons like these.
So choose one or two of thesemicro moments.
Experiment and notice whatlands.
If you love this episode, shareit with another leader who
needs the reminder to slowthings down and savor the

(07:16):
season, not just survive it.
And join me next time as Ishare 12 leadership reset
practices to finish the yearwell.
I'll see you next time.
Like what you heard on today'sepisode and want to go deeper?

(07:39):
Subscribe to this podcast soyou never miss an episode.
You can also pick up my book,Lead Anyone, on Amazon.
Then, go to my website to checkout ways that we can support
your leadership goals.
From executive retreats tocustomized training and
coaching, my team of expertswill help you level up your
leadership and accelerate yourresults.

(08:01):
Go to www.eliseboggs.com formore info.