Why Great Leaders Pay Attention to These Holidays

Question:
Tyler, a superintendent from Georgia, writes: “I know Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican 4^th of July, but what is it exactly and why is it important? And then, are there other holidays I should be aware of when leading Hispanic crews?”

Answer:
Tyler: Love the question, so allow me to nerd out on the history here for a moment….

Cinco de Mayo is special because it’s an underdog story. On May 5, 1862, the Mexican city of Puebla (southeast of Mexico City) held off an invading global superpower.

Which global superpower?
France.

Yep, France—under the leadership of Napolean Bonaparte’s nephew (Napolean III)—was determined to return to global domination.

The story, as it often does, began with money.

Mexico was broke and interest payments were due to Britain, Spain, and France. Mexico told the powers across the pond they’d get their money—just not now.

Britain and Spain negotiated a payment plan.
France saw an opportunity—an excuse to invade.

And they did.       

The French army was considered one of the best in the world, but at Puebla, Mexico stood its ground against the larger, better equipped frogs and the legend was born.

(Historical sidecar: France kept on battling and eventually won. They promoted some Austrian cat named Maximilian as emperor and he sat on the Mexican throne for three years. Unfortunately for him, the U.S. was done with the Civil War by that time, and we were less than excited about having French colonialists across the Rio Grande. The U.S. armed Mexican forces and they took back the throne. King Max died by firing squad. That ended French interest in Mexico.)      

Now, Tyler: There’s the bigger point here and you referred to it in your original question.

If you’re leading Hispanic talent on the job, understanding a few key holidays is less about being politically correct and more about being a thoughtful leader.

There’s four (somewhat) non-obvious culturally important dates to have on your calendar. 

1. Mother’s Day (Día de las Madres)
May 10.

And it’s always May 10.

Help your crews be thoughtful about their mamas and you’ll stand out.

2. Mexican Independence Day
September 16.

If you’re going to acknowledge one holiday, make it this one. It’s a celebration of identity, pride, and history—flags, food, and family all rolled into one.

3. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Early November.

Not Halloween.
Not spooky.

This is a time to honor family members who have died. It’s deeply personal. If someone seems a little quieter that week, this may be a reason.

Pixar’s fantastic 2017 film Coco is worth a watch to better understand this holiday.

4. Semana Santa (Holy Week)
March/April.

This is the week leading up to Easter. Depending on the crew, you may see travel plans and/or time off during this period.

FIFA Bonus
Now, you may have heard that FIFA World Cup sales are oddly low—forget what you hear. Gringos may or may not turn out, but the World Cup is huge for your Hispanic talent. 

If you’re looking for an easy way to connect with your crew, this is it.

Countries like Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina aren’t just teams to your workers—they’re a source of identity and pride.

You don’t need to know the standings.
You do need to know the schedule.

Provide some flexibility around the games—maybe even bring in a big screen!—and you’ll have crews appreciating your leadership in a whole new way.

Leadership isn’t on time and under budget.
It’s about people.

And people bring their culture with them to the job site every day.

Knowing just a little bit of history—and staying curious just a bit longer about what motivates those you work with represents an opportunity.

An opportunity to learn something, connect with someone, and lead just a little bit better.

Thanks for reading.
We’ll see you back here in two weeks.

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