David Brancaccio

Joining us is workplace culture strategist Greg Hawks.

His forthcoming book is called Act Like an Owner.

Welcome.

One thing you could look at right away, I suppose, is who shows and who leaves early.

Yeah.

And also, it would tell you something if the top brass slinks out early, like you look up and they've ghosted you.

That's not a full bore, full bodied commitment.

The holiday party could tell you something if you have been shirking your responsibility and not showing up to the monthly all-staff meetings.

Because, right, if it was flowing chocolate fountains last year, luge runs made of ice to chill the martinis, but this year it's a, I don't know, 12-pack of LaCroix and a sleeve of Ritz crackers, that'll tell you something, right?

Let's turn it to perhaps signs that you could see at a holiday party that your organization is, in fact, firing on all its cylinders.

Yeah.

And, you know, it's not a venue for the boss to bring a PowerPoint and outline the strategic goals for first and second quarter of 2026.

But, you know, a party done right is an opportunity to reset, I guess, from the year that we're wrapping up.

Greg Hawks is a workplace culture strategist and author of the forthcoming book, Act Like an Owner.

Greg, happy holidays.

Thank you so much.

Happy holidays to you.

And dear listener, what was your reaction when he raised the specter of senior management singing karaoke?

Let me recast that thought.

How about senior management joining with you in holiday song?