Season's greetings and welcome to the darn good leadership podcast. This show is all about being a strong and effective leader. One that can make positive impacts on your teams and communities in the next 20 minutes or so you're going to get ideas, inspiration and practical advice. You can take action on to be a darn good leader. I'm your host, Emily Holting and the Holly jolly season is here. Now, if you recall, back in October, I did a little Halloween series and everyone has been reaching out and asking Emily. Are you going to do something similar for Christmas? We really, really loved what you did for Halloween. Please do this for Christmas. Okay. That's a lie. no one has been asking. but don't you love it when influencer say that kind of thing that everyone's been asking? I'm going to be very. I'm going to be very clear. No one has been asking, but I am excited to do this for you because I'd love this kind of stuff. So today I'm leaning into one of the best parts of Christmas. That's right. The movies that give us all the holiday TIS the season feels, and they're very critical leadership takeaways. Now I've done the hard work folks. I've watched these movies. I've analyzed them. I've put in some research and now I'm ready to give to you with the top 10 movies that give off a major Christmas vibes and their respective leadership takeaways. So grab your egg nag, your hot toddy, or your hot cocoa, your candy came pajamas. Sit back, relax, and be prepared to be whisked away into all of the holiday magic. First up on our favorite Christmas movie list. Is a film with the word Christmas in the title. That's right. A Christmas story. Growing up, there was a channel that played this movie nonstop for like two weeks over the holiday. So this was always on, in the background in our household. Now this movie, the Christmas story is based off of the hilarious writings of author, Jean Shepherd. And this beloved 1983 holiday movie follows the tales of Ralphie Parker who spends most of the time, dodging a bully and dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift. Or red rider. Air rifle whom everyone thinks is going to shoot his eye out. The movie has so many standout scenes that I love, like when Ralphie has to keep a bar of soap in his mouth, after he gets caught swearing, or when his mother dresses his little brother, Randy, for the cold, and he's got so many layers on that, he can't put his freaking arms down. And of course the leg lamp, and the pronunciation of fragile as. but the most infamous scene to me was always the one where one of Ralphie's friends flick gets not just stared. Not just double dog dared. But gets triple dog dared. To lick a frozen flagpole. Now we've all been here. Where you feel it deep in your bones that something bad is indefinitely about to happen. If you do a certain thing. And flick was no different. You could see it in his eyes, the hesitation he had walking over and leaning in towards that frozen pole. His instincts were no doubt screaming at him not to take the bed and to keep his tongue safe inside of his mouth. But he got caught up in the epic challenge that was laid out for him. He got peer pressure and against all of his better judgment, he licked that dang pole. And what happened. Exactly what he feared. He got stuck. And worse. All of his so-called friends left him out there in the cold alone, scared and having to deal with the outcome by himself. The leadership lesson here is no matter how high the stakes, no matter how much pressure you might be receiving from your coworkers, your boss, your peers. If you feel in your bones, something is offer isn't right. I don't ignore it. Trust yourself. And listen to your guts. Let's Holly jolly along to movie. Number two. Home alone. This movie was and is played every year at Christmas. I come from a fairly big family and all my siblings have multiple children and we all congregate back home for Christmas. The first time I brought my fiance home he said, he felt like Joe Peshy and that opening scene where he comes to the door and there's just kids running around chaotically. And none of them actually lived there. So that's actually fairly accurate of how the holidays are at my household. Home alone was released in 1990. And as a story about an eight year old Kevin McAllister, who must protect his home from a pair of burglars. When he has accidentally left home alone by his family during the Christmas vacation. All right. I love home alone. Truly I do. But guys, when we actually stop and analyze the McAlister's as a family, They're quite dysfunctional. The family as a whole bickers, not just the siblings, but the cousins. And then you've got uncle Frank. He is literally the worst character. I mean, just a horrible guy. The parents do nothing really to actually parents. And instead they blame their kid, Kevin for everything. The parents are absent minded and of course leave their eight year old son at home. And after the movie concludes, we can only hope that everyone can reflect on the events that have transpired over the course of the movie. And just like Kevin's neighbor, the old man Marley who learned his lesson about family and ends up reaching out at the end to his, a strange son and granddaughter. We hope that all the McAlister's to can evolve into something better and become a little kinder, a little wiser. But that's not what happens. And we know that because of the sequel. The McAlister's apparently have learned nothing from their mistakes the next year. A fact that becomes obvious when the repeat the very same mistakes again. They bicker. Uncle Frank is still an a-hole. Kevin is still a scapegoat who gets blamed for everything. The parents, once again are absent minded and somehow abandoned their child yet again. Now I know this film is meant to entertain and it does that incredibly well. And I know everyone is human. Everyone makes mistakes, but when you make an epic one, like leaving your child at home. Figuring out how you can prevent this from happening in the future. Is pretty important. So the leadership lesson here is make sure you learn from your mistakes, especially the epic ones. Sledding, along to moving number three, the holiday. The holiday came out in 2006, and it's about a dumped and depressed. Iris who's played by Kate Winslet who agrees to swap homes with a similarly unlucky in love, California and Amanda played by Cameron Diaz for a much needed break around Christmas. Now IRS spins her holiday and Amanda's Hollywood mansion. Why Amanda spins hers and Iris is picture perfect English village. These are very different homes environments that they are used to. These new places inspire them both to get outside their comfort zone. And soon enough. Both of these love Lauren ladies find love and personal growth. So, if you take this concept into the business world, you can look at what Amanda and IRA said. As a type of cross training, they spent time learning and growing and a new role and they develop their T shaped or icicle shaped skills. Just as they swap locations and they got these changes in perspective that enabled them both to develop into a better version of themselves. Getting yourself exposed to other parts of the business or taking on a new initiative that is out of your specific areas of expertise can also help you become a more well-versed leader by exposing you to a new set of ideas and perspectives. So the leadership takeaway here is cross train to become a more well rounded leader. Slang right along to moving number four in our favorite Christmas films, it's a wonderful life. Personally. This is my absolute favorite movie and not just for Christmas, but I need of all time. This is it. There is something so moving and magical about this film, the acting, the story. And it being in black and white makes it that much more nostalgic for me. It's a wonderful life stars. Jimmy Stewart, as George Bailey, a man who gives up his personal dreams in order to help others in his community and whose thoughts of suicide on Christmas Eve bring the intervention of his guardian angel. This movie was released in 1947. Seven And the film's success is actually a more recent wonder. It was not ahead of the time it was released. And in fact actually recorded a major loss at the box office. So for almost 30 years, it's a wonderful life was not a classic or a household name. And then. A clerical error was made that prevented the copyright to be renewed. In 1974. This film laps then into the public domain. Meaning. Anyone could show and play the film without obtaining permission or paying royalties. And play a DIT. The film was shown repeatedly every holiday season for almost 20 years. On TV and basically everywhere and as hell that copyright was reclaimed. But by that time, a wonderful life was solidified as a Christmas classic. So this mistake quite certainly was a Christmas miracle for the general public. The leadership lesson here is that even simple task like filing a $4 copyright and renewal. Requires your attention to detail. Caroling forward to the fifth of favorite Christmas movie. Well, spoiler alert. It's not a movie at all. But I do still feel a, deserves a shout out and has a great leadership takeaway. So the fifth one on the list is Mariah. Carey's all I want for Christmas is you. Just like, there is no Halloween without the song. Thriller. The Christmas holiday has not quite begun. Without the song. All I want for Christmas is you. Love it hate it. This catchy tune has broken three Guinness world records. Billboard has named Carrie's track as the number one record on their greatest of all time. A hundred holiday songs. And it continues to take over the airways and social media postings. As soon as Thanksgiving strikes midnight. But let's discuss, what's even more incredible about this song. The fact that this tune wasn't written until 1994. Now for those of you who don't know nearly two thirds of the most popular, most favorite of all time, holiday songs were written in the forties and fifties. World war II. And the immediate post-war years yielded somewhat of a golden age for Christmas music. And the older a song is the more opportunities it has to be played and heard and for people to like it and love it. And there have been a handful of other popular songs that came out in the seventies. But after that, Most holiday albums are just covers of our favorite holiday tunes or very ill attempts at songs that most people just skip over and forget. And then you have Mariah Carey in 1994, release something original that somehow does the impossible. In the nineties and two today to come up with an original holiday song that is a hit is basically unheard of. And Mariah Carey wrote that song herself. So how did she do it? Well, she listened to all the classics of the forties and fifties. She steadied what made them so catchy and memorable? And she decided to write a song in a way that made the audience spiel. Like it was something they had grown up and listened to. That meant not making it sound like from the nineties or futuristic, but leaning into musical harmonies from the fifties and also making it personal to what Christmas meant to her. And relatable to everyone. Else's listening to it. And from that. All I want for Christmas is you was born. Very often when people try to make a name for themselves, they forget that there are so many great people and names who came before them. So understanding what those great people did, how they did it, why people gravitate towards them or their products. Is really, really important if you want to do the same. So the leadership takeaway here is that if you want to be great, You must learn from the greats first. Flying along to moving number six, is Rudolph the Red-Nosed reindeer. This 1964, stop motion. Animated film really brings out the kid in me. The story revolved around a young reindeer Rudolph who lives at the north pole. And his father is already one of Sandra's reindeers. And it is expected that Rudolph will eventually become one too. However Rudolph has a red nose. In the movie. There is an island of misfit toys. It's a place where unloved or I'm one to toys reside. Some examples of the misfit toys are a spotted elephant, a train with square wheels. And a water pistol that squirts jelly, rudolph and Santa Claus agree to help the misfit toys find homes. But the misfit toys were never saved in the original airing. And the children. And the parents were outraged. They sent an endless messages to NBC about how their children were crying. What happened to the misfit toys? How could Santa leave and abandon them? And NBC could have easily ignored these messages. But they wanted this film to be a classic and more importantly, they wanted to please their core audience. The children, right? This is, this is something that they wanted the kids to feel happy about. So for the first rearing of the special in 1965. They added a brand new scene to the special where Santa Claus first stop on Christmas Eve is to the island of misfit toys, where he picks them all up and delivers them to deserving children. This version has been the official version of a special ever since. It's been telecast every year, since 1964, making it the longest continually running Christmas TV special in the us. And beloved by generations of families. The leadership lesson here is listen to your core audience. Dashing right along to moving number seven, the seventh Christmas favorite film is the Muppet Christmas Carol. This movie is a heartwarming bear hug of a movie, my little sister, and I would watch and rewatch this movie together countless times, cracking up at miss piggy as Mrs. Cratchit and getting teary-eyed over baby Kermit as tiny Tim. In 1992, the Muppets performed the classic Dickens holiday tale with Kermit the frog playing Bob Cratchit and Michael Caine playing Ebeneezer, Scrooge who receives visits from spirits of three Christmases, the past present and future. So this is going to be a bold statement. But I believe this film is the best adaptation made of Charles Dickens. The Christmas Carol. I know it has Muppets in it. So this is crazy that I'm saying this, but if you haven't seen this movie, Get on it. It is, it is beyond good. It's been done a lot, the Christmas Carol, but there is just something so special about this version. Muppets of course are weaving in and out of the story, which holds so much of the heart of this movie. But Michael Kane, Scrooge is truly what makes us film. Michael Kane is undoubtedly an icon. And when he was interviewed about how he gave such an incredible performance and a castle is made up of mostly Muppets. He said, this. I decided to play this movie. Like I was working with the Royal Shakespeare company itself. And boy did he. Whether you're working with experts, newbies. A holes or Muppets. It's so important that you give it your all. The leadership takeaway is this decide to be a class act no matter who you're working with. Snow angeling over to moving number eight, the eighth film and our Christmas movie lineup is national. Lampoon's Christmas vacation. Oh, Chevy chase. How you make me smile? And the holidays just a little bit more jolly with you around this 1989 movie takes place at Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark or his wife, Ellen, and their two kids. And Clark's continual bad luck is worsen by his obnoxious family guests. But he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon. This movie has a lot of laughs and is also produced without a doubt, an amazing set of best one-liners. But after watching this movie for the hundredth time and quoting almost every single line. I realized something. We see the Griswolds taking part in various holiday festivities all in the weeks, leading up to Christmas. But the film actually ends on Christmas Eve. Clark throughout the film anticipates Christmas. He anticipates a new swimming pool and he is anticipating his bonus. Like most things in this world, the anticipation of an event is often the best part. Whether it's dreaming of and planning for a vacation or the grit and teamwork to reach a certain goal or the days leading up to Christmas itself. When we look back, those typically are better than the event itself. So the leadership takeaway here is enjoy the anticipation. It's typically the best part. Snowballing into moving number nine, the ninth favorite Christmas movie is. Elf. Okay, so who doesn't love will Ferrell and this adorable holiday tale. Raise as an oversized elf buddy travels from the north pole to New York city to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas cheer. Over the course of the movie. You see buddy slowly winning over all the characters and the film, getting them into the Christmas spirit. That is everyone, but his biological dad, Walter. Walter is a serious man, a proud man and a businessman. He seems a little too cool for Christmas. He doesn't want to look silly. But at the end of the movie, Walter finally breaks down and gets in the holiday spirit by joining the crowd, singing Santa Claus is coming to town. As leaders, there are times and places to be serious and to get to work, but there is also a time in place to spread cheer and celebrate with your people. Your attitude and your demeanor will rub off on the people around you. And don't, we just need a little holiday cheer every now and then. The leadership takeaway here is cool leaders get into the holiday spirits. Prancing into our final movie. The 10th film in our favorite Christmas movie list is. Miracle on 34th street. Now I personally grew up watching the 1994 version of this film. And this film is about an old man going by the name of Chris Kringle. Who fills in for a Santa who has had a little bit too much to drink and the Macy's annual Thanksgiving day parade. Kris Kringle proofs to be such a hit. That he soon ends up being the main Sante and store a Manhattan. Miracle on 34 street sets up opposing characters. First, there are the skeptics. So you've got Dory, who is the mother, Susan, who was a little girl. And then you've got the prosecuting attorney. And then there are the believers, Brian, the other attorney. Kris Kringle and seemingly every mother and child and Manhattan. From the beginning. It's very clear that the skeptics are sad, grumpy people, and the believers are generally joyful. Now isn't this also true in business. When people don't have clear purpose in their work and they don't believe or understand the vision of the company, it leads to an unengaged and skeptical workforce. Whereas when individuals find meaning and value in their work and they are brought into and are excited about the direction of the company, they are motivated, engaged, and are happy workforce. So the leadership takeaway here is faith leads to joy. So give your teams a reason to believe. That's it that's the 10. So let's recap our movies and the respective leadership takeaway. Coming in at number one. A Christmas story. Listen to your gut. To home alone. Learn from your mistakes, especially if they're epic ones. Three, the holiday. Look for opportunities to cross train, to become a more well-rounded leader. Four. It's a wonderful life. Even the smallest task require your attention to detail. Number five Mariah. Carey's all I want for Christmas is you. If you want to become one of the greats, you have to learn from them first. Number six Rudolph the Red-Nosed reindeer. Listen to your core audience. Number seven. MBIT Christmas, Carol. Be a class act, no matter who you're working with. Number eight national Lampoon's Christmas vacation. Enjoy the anticipation. It's typically the best part. Number nine. Elf cool leaders get into the holiday spirit. And finally, number 10 miracle on 34th street. Faith leads to joy. So give your teams a reason to believe. All right. So what'd you think of my list? How'd I do. The Christmas season is here. The anticipation is building, which we know is the best part. So how are you getting into the holiday spirit? How are you spreading holiday cheer? Whether it's watching one of your favorite movies, decorating a tree, listening to holiday songs and Dolgin and your favorite seasonal holiday treats. Or just taking time to take care of yourself. I'm wishing all of you, the brightest and merriest of holidays ahead. So be bold. Be bright. And don't be a flick or a McAllister. BMRI Carrie and a Michael Caine. Cheers.