The January leadership hangover
Over the last couple of weeks, the same themes have been surfacing again and again in coaching and mentoring conversations with leaders. Just small, persistent threads that seem to show up when the year is still new and energy is a little fragile, AND the last 2 months have been focussed on delivering a successful Christmas period
January has a way of nudging things loose, doesn’t it. It highlights the cracks that were already there, quietly waiting.
Here are five threads that have been coming up in conversations
The first is how January can derail leaders in subtle ways, and it rarely looks like a big wobble. It’s more often a quiet erosion of confidence, and a sense of being behind before the year has really begun. A few tough conversations, a slower-than-hoped-for start, and suddenly capable leaders are questioning themselves in ways they wouldn’t normally do.
I’ve also noticed how often steady, unspectacular progress gets dismissed. Many leaders overlook what’s quietly working because it doesn’t feel impressive enough. There’s a tendency to chase visible, big change while ignoring the habits, behaviours, and decisions that are already creating stability and results. And yet, those are usually the things doing the hard work.
Then there’s the friction between being supportive and holding firm boundaries. This comes up most when leaders genuinely care about their people. Wanting to be kind, human, and understanding, while also needing to be clear, consistent, and fair. That balancing act can feel exhausting, especially when emotions are involved.
Step Away From CHAT GPT. Another theme that’s come up is leaders experimenting with ChatGPT for leadership advice and feeling uncomfortable and unsupported afterwards. Leadership is about judgement, context, values and emotional nuance, and this can and will never be able to be replaced by AI. When advice feels generic, it can leave people feeling unseen rather than supported.
Finally, I’m struck by how rarely leaders pause to notice what’s already working before rushing to fix what isn’t. The instinct to improve is strong, but without reflection it can turn into constant self-correction. Taking a moment to acknowledge what’s working can change the quality of the decisions that follow.
And this is where hospitality is different.
If you’ve spent the last eight weeks with your hands to the pump, January can feel like a leadership hangover. Not because anything has gone wrong… but because Christmas takes so much out of you.
This is also why I encourage my clients to keep coaching going throughout December. If ‘I don’t have time for this’ rears it’s head, it’s when you need the space to think through your plans and goals the most. Being busy is exactly why you need it. It’s the thing that protects momentum when everything else is reactive.
Don’t lose yourself in the pace, and then spend January trying to find your feet again.
These reflections aren’t connected. They’re simply what’s been present in conversations over the last couple of weeks.
If you’re leading a team right now, it might be worth asking yourself which one has been sitting quietly in the background for you. Sometimes noticing is the most useful first step.
If nothing else, let this be a reminder that you haven’t lost your edge. You’re just coming out of a demanding season.
