October always reminds me of what shift leaders must be feeling as the year edges into its final chapter. It’s the season where inboxes fill faster, targets loom larger, and people are a little bit more tired than they’ll admit.
For me though – I’ve always thought Q4 is less about how fast you push… and more about how safely you land.
Because this stretch – October through December – has its own rhythm.
There’s pressure (of course) as budgets need to be closed, reports written, projects wrapped.
But then there’s also fatigue. A long year behind us, another waiting just around the corner. And in between all the deadlines and targets, people are juggling their own lives too – It won’t be long before conversations turn to staff Christmas parties (if you’ve not already booked it) and school nativity plays!
That’s the reality for your team. And it’s why leadership in Q4 isn’t just about keeping the wheels turning – but about how you hold people together through it.
So here are a few things that I’ve seen help make the biggest difference.
Firstly, start with clarity. When energy is low and demands are high, vagueness creates stress and causes delay. Try to be clear about what really matters in the next 12 weeks.
Name it, write it down somewhere and prioritise it. And just as importantly, name the things that can wait. Nothing builds psychological safety like staff knowing they’ll be supported for focusing on what matters, not shamed for what they set aside.
Next, be aware of what’s going on in people’s lives. Q4 is where work collides with home more than ever, so show more flexibility where you can. Schedule meetings for earlier in the day rather than 5pm. Give people the time to get to that school play. Acknowledge and validate those who don’t fancy the Christmas get together.
These small allowances buy enormous loyalty. They also say, without words, “you are more to me than your output.”
And lastly – be sure to celebrate. Not just the big wins, but the grit it’s taken to get this far. If it’s been a tough year – be grateful for the little wins.
Thank the people who’ve kept things moving quietly in the background. Recognise the honesty when someone admits they’re at capacity.
Doing the above doesn’t just make for a smoother close to Q4. Because honestly? The way you end the year is often the way people remember it.
And that memory is what they carry into January. End with burnout and exhaustion? It’s like that’s the hangover your team starts the new year with.
End with clarity, connection, and recognition? You’re giving them a strong platform to start 2026.
Q4 will always be busy, but leadership here isn’t about squeezing out the last drop of effort. It’s about making sure people cross the line with enough energy – and enough trust – to want to do it all again.
Stick the landing well, and you’ll set your team up for a smoother take-off next year.
JP
I get it, the world is a tricky place right now and it may not be the right time for us to work closely together. But I’d still like to help, that’s why I regularly share resources and insights on leadership challenges both here on my website and in my Unlocking Leadership newsletter. There’s no charge, but if anything helps, do let me know.
