Each December I sit down with a cup of Christmas Tea*, reflect on the conversations I’ve had with leaders throughout the year, and ask myself ‘What do leaders truly need this Festive Season?’
This year, the answer is unmistakably clear. You don’t need more. You need less.
Less pressure.
Less noise.
Less responsibility that isn’t yours.
Less clutter—mental and emotional.
So here are my Five Christmas Gifts of Less, wrapped with a ribbon of festivity and placed gently under your leadership tree!
1. The Gift of ‘No’
A beautifully wrapped, perfectly weighted ‘no’—the kind that frees you, not guilts you.
Leaders have spent this year saying ‘yes’ too often: too many meetings, too many priorities, too many expectations.
Your gift is permission to decline with clarity and grace. A courageous ‘no’ creates space for a more meaningful ‘yes’.
2. The Gift of a Clear Priority
Inside this box you’ll find one single shiny bauble labelled The Most Important Thing.
Not five priorities. Not a wall of sticky notes. Just one priority. In a year where leaders have been stretched in multiple directions, this gift brings focus, steadiness, and relief. The other stuff can wait!
3. The Gift of Abandoning Outdated Beliefs
This gift comes with its own dissolving paper.
Write down a belief or behaviour that once served you but now weighs you down.
Drop it into the bowl and watch it disappear.
Common contenders this year?
‘I must carry everything.’
‘I need to be across every detail.’
‘I should have all the answers.’
‘Strong leaders don’t struggle.’
You have evolved, and your leadership beliefs deserve to evolve with you. Letting go of what no longer serves you is one of the most generous gifts you can give yourself.
4. The Empty Box
Perhaps my favourite gift this year is a simple empty box. It’s festive, inviting, and ready to hold whatever you’re choosing not to take into 2026.
You could toss in the unfinished to-do lists, judgements you’ve carried about yourself or others, or the emotional load that has been sitting on your shoulders for too long.
Once it’s in the box, close the lid. Leave it under the tree. The magic of Christmas is that you don’t need to pick it up again unless you choose to.
5. The Gift of White Space
The final gift is wrapped in quiet: the gift of white space. Leaders have told me repeatedly this year that they feel constantly on the run, with little time to think, breathe, or regain perspective.
White space might be a pause before responding, a small block of time in your calendar left intentionally clear, or simply a moment to reconnect with yourself rather than react to what’s in front of you. It restores clarity, patience, and creativity.
In a world that moves fast, white space is not indulgent—it’s essential.
These Five Gifts of Less are small reminders that leadership is not about carrying everything. Sometimes it’s about releasing what no longer serves you, so you can step into the new year lighter, clearer, and more fearless.
Thank you for learning, leading, laughing this year… And for allowing us to be part of your world.
Wishing you a silly season filled with joy, mischief, rest, and – most of all – space.
Go fearlessly and festively
Corrinne
* I love the Christmas Tea from Herbal Teas Australia, a fabulous Gippsland company.
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