“I give you the Griswold Family Christmas Tree.”
It didn’t look nearly as big when we first saw it on the lot.
But, it did look perfect. The branches hadn’t yet fallen, but we could tell that it was going to be full and shapely. I immediately declared it the Bajdek Family Christmas Tree.
It took three men to put that tree on top of the car, and I imagine my husband Peter looked much like Clark Griswold, (the merrily determined patriarch of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) as he drove home with a massive piece of the forest sitting atop his Toyota 4Runner. I’ll spare you the comedy of errors it took to get the tree off the car, in the house, and then into the Extreme stand. (By the way, that’s known as the MONSTER of tree stands. At least I was prepared.)
The truth is, sometimes I bite off more than I can chew.
Peter would have preferred a slightly smaller tree, maybe something that didn’t hit the (cathedral) ceiling. That just isn’t in my DNA. Not surprisingly, this buying of the largest tree is a common occurrence across all facets of my life — I take on just a bit too much. Not more than I can handle; but more than I should.
Of course, at the outset, the project, the ask, the urgent need — the PERFECT tree — seems perfectly doable, and not so daunting until I get up close and get into it. Then, I’m already committed (and woe unto any Scrooge that might get in the way).
Often, it’s not just the one thing. It’s the five — or ten — large looming things that MUST get done this month. This week. Today. I need to do better (repeat after me, Michelle) because “It’s okay to right-size a project (or a tree) for the time (or space) I have available.”
Optimizing my workload, in other words.
It’s an important skill I’ve yet to master, but it’s one on which I’m actively working. And, as a leader, it’s a grace I need to extend to my team too. Especially during the holiday season, when end-of-year work stress combined with family obligation stress can sometimes feel like a big ole holiday punch in the gut.
So, in the spirit of giving (and learning), I’d like to share a few leadership resolutions I’ve made for this festive season and the year ahead. I’ve just settled in (again) to watch Christmas Vacation, so here are a few teachable Griswold moments for you:
1. Make sure you and your team have the time, tools, and space for the job. When the Griswold family finds the “perfect” tree, it’s only after enduring a long-distance car ride, a freezing trek though hip-deep snow, and a road rage incident or two. Lo and behold, they then discover they forgot their saw. When they do get their tree home and into their living room and let those perfect branches fall (remember, it’s a movie), they destroy their house.
2. Don’t get so attached to tradition (or how you’ve always done things) that you can’t see the inevitable changes around you. When Clark gets trapped in the attic, he relives the past through old holiday home movies. He becomes so entranced that the pull-down attic stairs have been shuttered and locked without his noticing. When his wife finally pulls them down, the “floor” he’s been standing on gives way (and he lands with a crash).
And, perhaps most importantly,
3. More is more. But it’s not necessarily better. When Griswold indulges in the ultimate Christmas light display overkill (think 25,000 bulbs), what could possibly go wrong? The short list: blinded neighbors and burned-out power grids.
Here’s the thing: people get burned out, too. (And then again, so do projects; sometimes rightfully so.) So, make your to-do list, and check it twice. Try to identify your true priorities. (Look for your “why.”)
It might even be time to redefine perfect.
So, I think the next time my husband tells me he thinks the tree is a wee bit too large, I should take heed. And when my team shares that we’ve committed too much, or we’ve taken on more than we can handle, I’ll do the same.
P.S. Christmas Vacation is a must-watch holiday movie for me. I still belly laugh my way through it. Give it a try. I promise “yule” laugh (and maybe even learn a thing or two).
Happy Holidays!