For all of us that are grocery retailers, November and December aren’t just regular months. They’re the two biggest sales months of the year – not by a little, by a lot. And it can be overwhelming for our teams and customers.
Remember one of my top leadership lessons for success:
- We take care of our team.
- Our team takes care of our customers.
- Our customers reward the shareholders with their business.
And for a large number of customers and team members, it’s emotionally the hardest time of the year.
On one side of the aisle, a grandmother is hunting ingredients for a favorite family recipe. On the other, a young parent juggles a toddler, phone and cart that won’t steer straight. And in the middle – our team members, managers and top leaders. People tasked with delivering not just their customers’ favorite foods, but joy, tradition and stability.
The holiday season tests everything. The pace is relentless. The stakes are high. Yet it’s also the moment we can inspire our teams with a calm demeanor and leave a legacy with customers that builds momentum going into 2026.
After 48 years in this business, I’ve learned that success during this time of the year comes down to five simple holiday rules. And just like my “5 Rules for Expected Behaviors” – I call these the “5 Rules for Winning the Holidays with Your Team” – these aren’t theories; they’re lived-out truths over decades of holidays that truly make a difference and can launch us into next year ahead of the competition.
Rule 1: Clarity over chaos
The holidays feel like organized chaos. Promotions shift weekly and sometimes daily. Customers demand speed and patience. Teams drown in noise.
Leaders cut through it with clarity and calmness. I’ve always said to my teams this time of the year: “Just take care of the customer right in front of you and let everything else blur out.”
Clarity doesn’t reduce the work; it reduces confusion. When people know what matters, they can deliver. Confidence follows, which creates calm.
On the front end specifically, cashiers need to take care of the customers they are checking out, but it’s also good to just make eye contact with the ones in line and let them know, “We’ll be right with you.” Recognize them; that’s enough. Just don’t ignore them.
How to practice it: Start every shift with a short huddle. Remind them to be the calm for the customers – and take care of them one at a time. Keep it simple. During the surge, a clear leader is a steady leader.
Rule 2: Lead from the floor
Leadership loses credibility when it hides in the office. The holidays especially demand visibility.
On the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas, we always emptied out the support office to get out in stores and lend a hand. We can’t have enough people on the payroll in each store to take care of the big surge in business during these two months.
This is something I always enjoyed and was a great reminder of how hard teams in the stores work. It also lifts the moral of the teams to see that “everyone” is out in stores helping.
Proximity builds trust. When leaders stock shelves, carry bags or walk the aisles helping customers, they model what they expect. They remind everyone that no task is beneath them.
Bottom line: During the surge, the best clipboard is a shopping cart. The best office is the floor. And the best leadership is active and present.
Rule 3: Protect the team’s energy
The hidden enemy of the holidays isn’t inventory or logistics. It’s exhaustion.
It’s easy this time of the year to get so busy we cut out or shorten breaks – and that’s a giant mistake. Our teams are human, so everyone needs their full breaks. It’s our job to plan ahead. If we do, there is no reason our teams don’t get their breaks.
Leaders must guard energy. Not just physical but emotional. When people are treated like machines, burnout follows. When they’re treated like humans – given encouragement, rest and recognition – they will give more than we can imagine.
Practical moves: Rotate and share heavy tasks. Have cold water and snacks for the teams. Acknowledge the grind. Sometimes a leader’s words, written or spoken – “I know this is hard, and I appreciate it” – are more powerful than a bonus. Everyone wants to be appreciated. Great leaders are protector of energy, the fuel that keeps chaos from winning.
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Rule 4: Double down on the customer experience
Holidays amplify emotions. A missing spice can feel like a crisis, which leads to getting ahead of buying key holiday items. Good store directors anticipate that there are normally a higher number of manufacturers’ outs this time of the year, so get key items in early.
A kind word can feel like a gift. (Remember Rule 2 from my book: Be kind.)
When a customer asks for something – we need to walk them over and help find it. We’ve always had a rule of “never point” where something is – show them where it is – and take a few minutes to help with anything else on their list.
We’ve all seen this quote from Maya Angelo (it’s in my book), and it’s particularly valuable during this holiday time of the year. We can give our customers the best service in town. Trust me, they’ll remember how we made them feel.
This is also the best time of the year to let loose with humor. Nothing relaxes teams and customers more than a good joke or a big smile. And it’s OK to use ourselves to joke about.
How to lead it: Train teams to slow down with customers, even when the pace says hurry. Empower them to fix problems without waiting for approval. And above all, model patience and kindness. Holiday shopping isn’t just about groceries; it’s about family traditions and memories. If we serve people with dignity, we’ll win loyalty for years.
Rule 5: Celebrate the wins
During the rush, days blur together. Teams finish shifts exhausted, wondering if anyone noticed. That’s why celebration is essential.
I’ll never forget walking into one of our stores after a record-breaking day. The store director had partnered with a vendor to feed the teams. As tired as everyone was – there was laughter and comradery happening that money just can’t buy. These moments turn fatigue into pride.
The celebration doesn’t have to be big – a “holiday hero” shout-out, team photo on the wall or allowing team members to wear holiday dress or favorite sports team apparel on the weekends. It’s about recognition, not expense.
Leadership truth: When we celebrate, we transform pressure into purpose. We tell people: We’re not just surviving – we’re winning, together.
Legacy for the holiday season
When January arrives, what remains isn’t just the sales report. It’s how leaders made people feel. And trust me, I’ve seen many a failure during this time and have learned the hard way how to use these “5 Rules of Winning the Holidays.”
Associates remember the night their manager covered a shift, as well as the snacks after a long day. They also recall the season when leadership stood shoulder to shoulder with them. Customers remember patience, kindness and care.
The holidays are remembered. They become stories told years later. And they define leadership legacies.
These rules can also be used for grand openings and hurricane/weather-related sales, as those are times to gain momentum by being different.
So as the surge approaches, live “The 5 Rules.” Do that and we won’t just guide our teams through the season; we’ll inspire them into the new year and beyond.
Leadership is not about getting through the season; it’s about making the season matter.
Steve Black is CEO and founder of abrighterday.life, a business and leadership coaching organization devoted to helping people and companies with personal growth and implementing simple leadership principles. A 47-year-veteran of the retail grocery arena, Black is the author of “The 5 Rules” and offers an online Masterclass.