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Christmas In July

A Parable of Paralysis

Just recently, I found myself staying at a hotel—modern, bustling, part of a nationally recognized brand. One I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of money with over many years of business travel. One that makes me wonder why Bill Marriott doesn’t send me Christmas cards.

As I walked into the lobby, I heard it: “Jingle Bell Rock.”

In July.

At first, it seemed comical, and I was assuming someone was having fun with the whole “Christmas in July” theme. But as more and more classic holiday songs filled the foyer hour after hour, day after day I started to suspect this wasn’t deliberate kitsch—it was a systems failure.

More likely, no one quite knew how to turn it off. Or worse, no one wanted to be the one to decideto turn it off. It might have required a service call, a sign-off from the franchising group, a memo from the brand manager, or maybe it was waiting in some approval queue labeled “Pending Ops Review.”

Regardless, there it was: a hotel lobby that was sound-trapped in December-track canned music, surrounded by sweating guests in flip-flops and shorts.

It was more than ironic.

It was a metaphor.

I think of these things as a decision that went wrong, or a decision that was never made.

The Danger of Analysis Paralysis

What I witnessed wasn’t just a musical misfire—it was a symptom of something much bigger: organizational indecision.

In far too many companies, small and large decisions alike get caught in limbo. Middle managers defer to directors. Directors punt to senior execs. Senior execs wait for more data, more alignment, more “strategic clarity.” And while everyone waits for someone else to move, time ticks on.

The result? Paralysis.

It’s not malicious. In fact, it’s usually rooted in good intentions. Leaders want to “get it right,” to be thoughtful, to follow process. But when everything needs to be vetted by everyone, nothing actually happens.

And that’s when companies lose ground.

Even hotels, which typically are very task-oriented.

When “Perfect” Becomes a Prison

You’ve heard the old saying: “Perfect is the enemy of good.” But let’s take that further. In most organizations, perfect is also the enemy of done.

Striving for excellence is noble. But in the real world—especially in business—progress beats perfection every time.

Consider:

• The marketing team spends 6 weeks refining language no customer will notice.
• The product launch is delayed for “final tweaks” no user asked for.
• The strategic pivot that’s needed today is trapped in an endless loop of slide revisions and stakeholder “alignment meetings.”
• Deadlines are missed because someone was stuck in their inability to name a product.
• Execution opportunities lost because a new CEO can’t let himself or herself admit the last CEO had a good plan.

All of this consumes time, energy, and morale. And none of it delivers results.

The Christmas music in July thing was a result of this exact mindset. Better to let it play endlessly than risk a complaint about silence. Or worse—make the “wrong” call by turning it off.

It’s not cute – some hotel guests might chuckle, but others might wonder, “How clean are the rooms? When did they last pass inspection in the restaurant – December?”

Not making a decision IS making a decision.

But leadership isn’t about safe neutrality.

It’s about direction and movement.

10 Things That Suffer When Decision-Making Gridlocks

When companies are trapped in managerial or governance gridlock, the impact is widespread. Here are ten critical areas that suffer:

1. Customer Experience – Inconsistent or stalled service frustrates the very people you’re trying to delight.
2. Employee Morale – When teams feel their work is constantly delayed or second-guessed, they disengage.
3. Brand Reputation – A brand that can’t make decisions starts to look confused, chaotic, or irrelevant.
4. Speed to Market – Hesitation kills momentum and lets competitors get ahead.
5. Operational Agility – When small decisions require big approvals, flexibility vanishes.
6. Revenue Growth – Missed launches and delayed initiatives directly impact top-line performance.
7. Risk Management – When you delay hard calls, small issues compound into major threats.
8. Innovation – Creativity dies in environments where action requires too many approvals.
9. Talent Retention – High performers leave when they’re stuck navigating bureaucracy instead of solving problems.
10. Culture – When no one makes decisions, silence becomes policy and apathy becomes culture.

Leadership Lessons from a Claymation Classic

In the classic holiday special Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, Kris Kringle encourages the once-cranky Winter Warlock to change. His advice?

“Put one foot in front of the other!”

That line may be wrapped in Christmas-special-nostalgia, but the message is timeless:

Progress starts with motion.

Too many organizations wait until every variable is known, every stakeholder is aligned, every risk is mitigated. But that day rarely comes. Meanwhile, customers are moving on, markets are evolving, and teams are asking: “Are we doing anything that matters?”

The antidote to indecision isn’t recklessness—it’s courageous action. A single, clear step can unstick the gears of an entire company.

Make a Move, Not a Masterpiece

The best leaders don’t get stuck in the pursuit of perfect. They:

• Decide with the best information available
• Empower others to act without fear
• Create a culture where momentum matters
• Simply, begin

Sometimes the best thing you can do isn’t fixing everything—it’s turning off the music and giving people permission to move.

Final Thought: Where Are You Playing Christmas Music in July?

If you’re leading a team, a division, or an entire company, ask yourself:

• What decisions are being delayed unnecessarily?
• What approvals are slowing us down?
• What “perfect” standard is preventing us from shipping something “good enough” to make a difference?
• Which parts of your organizational “timing” are off?

Inaction is a choice. And often, it’s the most costly one.

So take the step. Move the needle. Fix the music.

Put one foot in front of the other.

Even Santa had to start somewhere.

Paul Fioravanti, MBA, MPA, CTP, is the CEO & Managing Partner of QORVAL Partners, LLC, a FL-based advisory firm (founded 1996 by Jim Malone, (1942–2021), six-time Fortune 100/500 CEO). Qorval is a US-based growth and exit advisory, turnaround, restructuring, business optimization and interim management firm. Fioravanti is a proven advisor and CEO with experience in more than 90 situations in more than 40 industries. He earned his MBA and MPA from The University of Rhode Island and completed advanced post-master’s research in finance and marketing at Bryant University. He is a Certified Turnaround Professional and member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Private Directors Association, Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Association of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&MA), the American Bankruptcy Institute, and IMCUSA.

QORVAL Partners: Grow It. Fix it. Exit. Helping companies scale, transform, and prepare for what’s next. www.qorval.com 239 588 0008 helpmybusiness@qorval.com

If your organization is at a pivotal moment—financial, operational improvement, KPI drivers, growth, transformation, leadership transition, or preparing for an exit—QORVAL is ready to help.

Copyright 2025, Qorval Partners LLC and/or Paul Fioravanti, MBA, MPA, CTP. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution without permission.

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