By Editor’s Note: I’ve been republishing some classic posts; here’s one from December 2021.
GIVEN HOW CHAOTIC the last several years have been with lockdowns and other such calamities, nobody would blame you for being a Scrooge during the holidays.
But, what if you just don’t identify with Scrooge?
Perhaps a more contemporary grouch would be better — someone like the Grinch, especially the 1966 Chuck Jones version (no snickering, please; that’s contemporary for me) with the late, great Boris Karloff narrating and voicing the Grinch.
Either way, I’m always amazed at how two of the most popular Christmas characters of all time are a miserly, belittling boss and a holiday-hating creature who lives in a cave.
There’s some deeper wisdom in that, I’m sure, but make of it what you will.
What I make of it is that nasty, grouchy people are frequently a lot more memorable than kind and caring ones, and that they stand out the most during a time of year when treating others with kindness is important.
A fond reminder of the best bosses
THAT’S WHY ONE OF MY FAVORITE holiday characters is someone that most everyone has heard of but rarely think much about. I like him because he always reminds me of the best bosses I had the privilege of working with during my career.
Don’t know who I’m referring to? It’s Fezziwig, the kind and generous boss a young Ebenezer Scrooge had cherished memories of in Charles Dickens’ classic book A Christmas Carol.
Here’s how he’s described by the Encyclopedia Brittanica:
“Fezziwig (is) the generous employer of the young Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol … Fezziwig appears early in the story, during Scrooge’s encounter with the Ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooge and the ghost visit Fezziwig’s workplace, where Scrooge was an apprentice, on Christmas Eve.
The generous Fezziwig hosts a lively party, and the vision gives Scrooge the opportunity to ponder the value of generosity. Scrooge sees the bright face of his former self and reflects on the kind old master’s generosity:
‘Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.’ ”
People focus on different things during the holidays, and Scrooge always gets a lot of attention.
Fezziwig? He gets little attention at all.
Taking generosity to heart
HERE’S MY TAKE: It’s clear that Fezziwig’s part of Scrooge’s story deserves more attention because he reminds us of something important — that leaders need to be generous, kind, and appreciative of those who work hard for them all year long.
I’ve had a few bosses like Fezziwig, but I’ve also gritted my teeth and endured far too many Scrooge-like characters. What I’ve found is that the kindness of the Fezziwigs has only grown in my memories, while the cruel and indifferent nature of the Scrooge-like ones just fades away.
One of the Fezziwig-style bosses I remember was a managing editor I had issues with (call him “Tim”) when I first started working for him. The problem was that our styles clashed. We had our difficult moments, but all that was resolved over time. What I’m left with now are only the fond memories, especially how Tim loved to take those who worked with him out for a fancy lunch during the holiday season.
It felt very Fezziwig-like.
THIS WAS ALWAYS a pricey affair at a top-shelf place, and it included champagne for those who wanted to imbibe. Tim went all out and spared no expense.
More importantly, the gathering allowed us an opportunity to reflect on our collective work over the year, and to appreciate each other while celebrating outside the office. It was a feeling that lasted well beyond the holidays and it helped fuel our work in the New Year.
In fact, Tim’s holiday luncheons made such an impression on me that I vowed to do the same. I held similar Christmas get-togethers with my own direct reports at newspapers and magazines from San Diego to Honolulu.
I may not be a Fezziwig, but those Christmas luncheons I hosted were very Fezziwig-like, indeed.
Another holiday message to remember
ONE MORE THING: These special holiday celebrating the work of the wonderful people who worked for me helped drive home another message that’s important to remember.
It’s this — showing your employees how much you appreciate their hard work helps to determine just how hard they will dig in when the heat is on and you really need them the most.
Want more highly-engaged employees? Want a staff who will run through walls for you when the chips are down?
It’s actually pretty simple. Just make sure you treat your people a lot more like Fezziwig, and let others act more like Scrooge.
That’s a lesson we would all do well to remember during “the most wonderful time of the year.”
This originally appeared on the late, great Fistful of Talent blog.
