Santa Claus: The World's No.1 Project Manager

Santa Claus could not get everything delivered in a single night without being a great project manager. The “Big Guy” has absolutely no room for error in his schedule. Santa Claus must deliver all the toys every year on time and in a single night, no questions asked.

A friend of mine, Daka Delly, actually went to Lapland at the start of December this year and was fortunate enough to meet him. Anticipating this, I asked Daka to ask Santa what are his top tips to successful project management. And here they are…

Open Communication: The second there is an issue Santa is notified by the Elves. But communication not only flows up the chain of command but it is just as important to filter the information down to the Elves on the toy lines ASAP. This creates a mutual respect between all levels and is an enabler for early problem identification.

Control: We all know Santa is a sucker for detail, and how he loves to check all lists twice. But it is this attention to detail that is his ace up his sleeve. Santa is required to have his finger on the pulse at all times. Santa ensures everyone is contributing information to ensure the second something is running behind schedule he can take the appropriate measures to limit the effect on the overall project.

So next time you see Santa Claus on TV, remember those big red cheeks are not the result of a new blusher, but caused by the stress of delivering the biggest project the world has ever seen, and all on one night!!