Holidays are the chance to get away…to escape reality and have some downtime -to relax with family and loved ones or maybe exploring on your own!
For many both the build up to their holiday and the days leading up to the office return, can be highly stressful. Trying to finish jobs before you rush home in readiness for the holiday or worrying what might have happened in your absence!

But should this always be the case? Of course not! Employers need you to take a break, to come back healthier and relaxed- so where does it go wrong?

Firstly, no one is indispensable. We may think so, but life and business does carry on once any individual leaves an organisation. The key of course is in how you develop your team and those around you and in such a way that they understand the business, their role and have the relevant skills to allow them to take over (in a seamless manner) when you are not there. This is one of the reasons why a coaching mentality and where your direct reports feel empowered to make decisions, should be a key part of your role.

Creating Leaders of the Future.
Mentoring plays a part, separate to coaching but showing and teaching how the new skills to any role should be tackled and preparing people for the next step.

If your teams don’t have the talents needed, why? What have you done about this or what will you do? Part of your role is in preparing your teams for this very situation. Delegating trust and responsibility with boundaries…Empowering to make decisions. Showing confidence in your people so that they grow their own self esteem! One more thing to remember…Delegating upwards is okay too- there may be some things that you need to.

When it comes to your return, there should never be the worry of the return to work. With a well-trained team, your return to work should be stress free and even exciting. Your direct reports have all bases covered. They have actioned everything in your absence and more. They have enjoyed standing in for you. They are ready to de-brief you. They may even feel a tinge of sadness that their chance to step up to the plate is over. Or it should be like that! If not, what do you need to do to change all of that?

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough
to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Theodore Roosevelt