The end of the calendar year can often be a mad rush to complete your to-do list before taking some well-deserved time off.

But it's also the perfect opportunity to strengthen your relationships within your team.

Don't miss out. Be intentional about how to make the most of your time and relationships.  

Here are 4 ideas to get you started:

1.  Write a hand-written holiday greeting to each of your team members.

Be specific about the 2 or 3 traits or talents you most appreciate and how it has made a difference to the team this year.

People very rarely get this type of acknowledgement from people, let alone in handwritten form. Taking the time to do this shows you truly care about and value them.

2. Treat them to a celebratory holiday meal out, preferably dinner.

This takes some advance planning and coordination, but it's worth it. Without the pressure of getting back to the office in an hour, a team dinner allows you time to socialize more with one another. Be sure to express your appreciation for their efforts over the past year and acknowledge specific key accomplishments. 

3. Set up a 1-on-1 meeting with each of your team members to ask them how you can specifically support them and their career goals in the year ahead.

4.  Volunteer together as a team at a local food bank, homeless shelter, or other organization that helps those in need. It can be easy to forget how lucky we are, and to over-exaggerate challenges at work. When you work together to help out others who are less fortunate, it's a great reminder of your common humanity and positive traits.

I hope these ideas serve to inspire you to take time in the next few weeks to build stronger connections.

What have been some of your favorite relationship-building activities? I'd love to hear your great ideas!