"New Year's Party Stomachache"

The employee asked a sincere question: “What about the annual budget, given how difficult it is to recruit people these days?” The executive on the podium replied, “That’s an understandable question, but we’ve decided not to factor that into the budget.” The level of unease in the room rose.

New Year’s parties, announcements, interventions, etc., are important moments for sharing or creating a shared experience. It’s not uncommon for organizations to miss the mark here, resulting in a sense of distance rather than a sense of community—as evidenced, among other things, by stomachaches.

This kind of thing arises when there’s a discrepancy. When it feels like something isn’t right or isn’t quite right, when reality is presented differently, or when people beat around the bush. In short, when things aren’t what they seem. When management speaks evasively or dodges questions, it gives the impression that they’re hiding something.

Such a disconnect can also arise from a mismatch between objectives and means. With a large-scale themed show centered on something as obvious as customer focus, the set design becomes more important than the goal. For example, I recently attended a corporate event where dozens of large red cardboard hearts were frantically dancing back and forth on stage. The intention was to make it clear that we were supposed to fall in love with our clients. The audience remained silent.

Or that time when, during a merger, both groups were crammed into one massive dance party. No expense spared—from Douwe Bob to Lee Towers. Only the senior management was “rocking out,” hoping to set a good example. It was like watching your parents dance at a teen party. Often, with a big event like that, we try to make up in one fell swoop for what’s been neglected over the past two or three years: a genuine connection with one another.

There are also good examples where the process—organized by team, department, or unit—progresses step by step, both digitally and physically, toward a large-scale, collaborative “intervention.” With solid follow-through in the months that follow, unity becomes a reality. But the average “town hall meeting” is disconnected and primarily emphasizes the hierarchical distance.

In my experience, it can’t be simple enough. It’s better to do small-scale efforts more often than to go big all at once. Make sure there’s interaction. Let it all come through, and above all, be honest. An authentic story from a CCO about “how difficult it is to meet all our sales challenges and how proud we are that we manage to do it year after year” really makes an impact. It’s about connection, about touching each other. Be infectious in your enthusiasm and inspire through substance and connection. Don’t pretend to have an answer or solution for everything, and don’t forget the most important question: What do you want? What do you want at the New Year’s reception?

What’s next? We could develop a “New Year’s Party Stomachache Meter app” to measure in real time the alignment between the “speaker” and the “audience.” No, let’s just invest in better answers right away. Because what if the executive in question had simply said, “The 2024 ambition obviously also depends on the number of new hires. If recruitment doesn’t work out, we’ll have to adjust the ambition, but let’s work together to try to be an attractive organization for new talent”…!!