How would you motivate a workforce that seems to live forever, rarely quits or gets fired, develops deep personal relationships, marries within the team, and raises children who then join that same workforce. That’s the challenge Santa and Mrs. Merri Claus face at their North Pole Workshop. Much of what you think you know about Santa’s Workshop is based on myth, not fact. The real story is much more interesting. It also contains wonderful lessons for leaders and training professionals seeking to inspire and motivate their employees. Those Workshop employees, some call them elves, deliver an unending supply of happiness year after year. You might dismissively say, “Yes, well it’s the North Pole, and there’s Santa, and they are the elves. Of course they are happy.” But happiness would not last if that workforce faced naughty list leaders, policies, and practices.

In this session join Lenn Millbower, The Mouse Man™ as he shares what he learned during a visit to the North Pole. You will unwrap the leader expectations Merri Claus set and the Santas follow. You will explore the meetings, celebrations, and special events the North Pole offers to keep employee motivated. You will even discover how the Christmas Eve roof run process actually works and how one specific reindeer (not named Rudolph) was the hero that led those changes. It’ll be a Christmas time celebration with definite gifts you can take back to your organization. And you won’t even have to wait for Christmas day to unwrap them.

Objectives

1. Uncover the true North Pole behaviors expected of leaders and team members that creates an organizational culture of excellence and accountability.
2. Avoid the naughty and embrace the nice through effective decision-making filters that align with organizational purpose and values.
3. Gain a deeper understanding of how harnessing emotion motivates and inspires the team members to soar to new heights.
4. Examine the celebratory meetings and events the Workshop delivers to keep morale and workforce effectiveness high.
5. Explore how engaged employees deliver a lean, efficient, and ever-improving process through continuous improvement methodology.

Lenn Millbower, the Mouse Man™ and former Disney training leader and entertainment expert is the author of The Santa System: Ten Leader Lessons from the North Pole. In that analogy case study of Santa’s North Pole workshop, Lenn shares Santa’s methods for creating an extraordinary organization. At the North Pole, Lenn discovered a workshop driven by emotional purpose, outstanding leadership, and a continuous improvement focus. He also learned some fun facts, including the real story of Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Learn Santa’s secrets and you’ll love your success.