Holiday Blues

December 2014 Management Minute

by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist

The winter holidays in the U.S. are broadly considered a festive time of friends, family, and a whole lot of holiday cheer. Unfortunately, that perception is far from reality for many around us. In fact, depression tends to increase during the holidays.

There are countless reasons some people become depressed during the holiday season: memories of the passing of a loved one; divorce; estrangement from children or parents. Although the holidays elicit festive emotions in many of us, painful events from a person’s past can just as easily and very likely trigger feelings of sadness or anger. Some people simply lament that they have no one close to them with whom to share the holidays, so all the joyous celebration and family atmosphere surrounding them only serves as a very potent reminder of their aloneness.

Regardless of the individual potential causes of depression, our obligation as team leaders, managers, team mates, and friends, is to recognize when our team mates are behaving abnormally. Depending on our personal relationship with the person, we may or may not have license to gently probe for any melancholy. “Hey Pete, how are you feeling? You seem a little quiet these past few days.”

If we haven’t cultivated sufficient trust in this particular relationship to safely enter this very soft and shaky ground, this, unfortunately, is the wrong time to initiate that process. On the contrary, if your workplace has successfully nurtured a culture of trust, loyalty, and interpersonal safety, the cocoon of cordial and long-lasting workplace relationships may actually provide a respite from these feelings of loneliness. This can be priceless for some.

An additional complicating factor during the holiday season is the combination of superfluous holiday events—holiday parties, church events, shopping, and children’s school events—and the generally heightened tenor within both the workplace and the home. The added strain on each person will likely make us less attuned to any potential change in mood of those close to us, rather than more attuned to it; it’s our human nature—either selfishness or self-preservation. Simply realizing that others may be hurting, and being alert to the probability that others may not enter the holiday season with the same joy that we do creates an opportunity to provide support and encouragement to those around us.

For more information, contact Chris at 785-532-1672 or cdr3@ksu.edu.