A Christmas Lesson for Leaders from Ebenezer Scrooge
J.P. Montalvan • December 26, 2022
A Christmas Lesson for Leaders from Ebenezer Scrooge
Merry Christmas! And whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope you’re adding some happy memories and stories to your life this holiday season.
If we’re talking about stories this time of year, one of the classics I think about is Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” a story centered around a selfish and unfriendly old man who hates Christmas — Ebenezer Scrooge. I’m sure you’ve seen it or heard the story — it’s been recreated for film, television and the stage dozens of times.
If you’ve followed this conversation over the last few weeks, you know that we’ve talked about holiday melancholy — because when we slow down for the holidays, we sometimes think about both what's right and what's not in our lives. That’s where I find “A Christmas Carol” to be an especially timely and timeless story. Beyond the story of an unfriendly old man visited by several ghosts, we can find in Dickens’ story something that’s very common and unexpectedly powerful.
Scrooge is an entrepreneur whose decisions as a leader have made for a sad life, which comes into focus at Christmastime.
And Scrooge’s life — including the visions he receives from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future — can offer us several lessons on leadership.
Wait a minute, you might say, is that a stretch? Was Charles Dickens really trying to share some real lessons with us in a Christmas allegory?
Charles Dickens grew up in and was powerfully affected by the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. On the one hand, the Industrial Revolution brought a great economic and technological development. On the other hand, it caused caused great chaos and many serious social problems.
Dickens experienced this hardship and separation as a child. After his father lost his job in the British Navy in 1824, Dickens’ father was sent to debtor’s prison and was soon followed by his wife and most of their children — all with the exception of Charles and his sister Fanny. Families that couldn’t find employment or afford housing often ended up in these workhouses, which were designed to be humiliating as punishment for the “sin” of being poor.
By the mid-19th century, it has been estimated that 100,000 children in London had never attended school. Children who didn’t attend school often worked in factories, mines, construction businesses, shipyards and as chimney sweeps, sometimes from the age of just 3 years old. As a result of the Industrial Revolution’s increased mechanization in workplaces and the fact that children could be paid less, employers often relied upon child labor, and children could work for up to 16 hours a day in dangerous, dirty conditions. As a result, life expectancy didn’t normally exceed the mid-twenties.
Charles was forced to drop out of school at 12 and work at a boot-blackening factory to make ends meet. The conditions within these workhouses were slum-like breeding grounds for disease, violence and crime. He wrote later that this work and time in his life made him feel “utterly neglected and hopeless.”
Dickens’ experiences led to a lifelong devotion to helping the underserved through his literature. That Scrooge paid Bob Cratchit a low wage which couldn’t sustain his son’s health was a reflection of the suffering of the working-class people of the 1800s in England. As Dickens’ biographer Michael Slater described, the author thought of “A Christmas Carol” as a way to “help open the hearts of the prosperous and powerful towards the poor and powerless…."
In a recent Leadership Circle training, I shared 3 lessons that I’ve learned from Scrooge’s story (click here to watch).
What I find especially poignant about “A Christmas Carol” is that while Scrooge has good people in his life, he loses himself in his work. He stops caring about things like how cold it is in his office, or how times are celebrated with his family, because Scrooge sees all of it as a waste of time and money.
Have you ever lost yourself in your work, only to find yourself unhappier? Or have you lost yourself in your work and found yourself without the strong relationship, family or friendships you really want? Many of us have, and that’s exactly where Ebenezer Scrooge is when the story begins.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you might find yourself in that place, or getting closer to that dark version of Scrooge.
But like Scrooge, who was an older man in the present of the story, it’s never too late to change. It’s never too late to recommit to grow the leader within you, and, as a leader in life, to positively impact all the people that are in your life.
This holiday season, beyond the common things we all do, I hope you’ll join me and take some uncommon action. Let's reflect on how we can grow and do just a little bit more in the coming year. If there's something you'd like to reflect on together, I hope you'll reach out!
Gad was 10 years old when he saw people going door to door, hauling out his neighbors, shooting them and burning down their homes.
Stephen was 7 years old when he was separated from his family, only to find out later that most of his family was murdered.
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Happy Hump Day!
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As I’m sharing with my Leadership Circle this quarter, Wednesday isn't just the midpoint of the typical work week calendar. It's a golden opportunity for us to hit pause, reassess, and realign ourselves with what really matters – our weekly priorities.
Edwin was born in the small town of Steubenville, Ohio. His education started in Miss Randle’s kindergarten and was followed by Henry Orr’s seminary around the block. At 10, he entered George Buchanan’s nearby Latin school where he was called “an imperious and self-reliant young man.”
Edwin’s lifelong struggle with asthma might have contributed to his temper, but so could have the early death of his father and the deaths of his brother and two children.
And on the eve of achieving his life’s dream — nomination to the Supreme Court — Edwin Stanton’s chronic asthma caused his death in 1869.
As I sit here late at night in my parent’s family room, a few hours away from our home, thinking about you, it dawns on me that we’re often wrapped up with how leadership impacts us in the work world. But the reality is that it permeates every part of our lives – and especially our relationships with family and friends.
This weekend, the conversations with my parents are covering a myriad of topics, from advice on navigating parenthood with our newborn daughter to discussing strategies for managing their health.
Recently, Veronica and I took a trip to the beautiful Virginia countryside around Flint Hill, Virginia. As we took in the breathtaking, winter scenery of rolling hills, horses, cattle and more, we decided to stop for lunch at the inviting Dark Horse Irish Pub. Little did we know that our dining experience would include both delicious food and the unexpected wisdom of a heartfelt connection.
Upon entering the cozy pub, we were greeted incredibly warmly. Our waiter was a young man who attended to us graciously through our meal, and when he had to leave was replaced by an older waiter. The older waiter had a twinkle in his eye, as they say, and he immediately struck a chord with us. As our main meal switched to delicious desserts, he engaged us in some lively conversation and took a genuine interest in our newborn daughter in the stroller by our table. His genuine care and enthusiasm was really something.
In the challenging world of Hollywood, with a sea of scripts and opportunities, Reese knew what she wanted. Despite some early success and the offers of darker and more intense roles, she was drawn towards “optimistic” storylines that inspired and uplifted. She wanted to make a meaningful impact on her audience, especially girls and young women.
“I got a role in this movie called Freeway playing this really angry, aggressive, violent young woman who believed wholeheartedly in the truth,” Reese shared. “I had such satisfaction afterward, and I thought, that's what I want to do.”
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Kareem dedicates much of his time now to empowering marginalized communities, reflected in his book "Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White." He was asked once about his ability to prioritize amidst the glitz of a storied career.
Getting picked last isn't great. Brock would know…
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