Stop Checking Your Humanity at the Door
When we clock into work we have been conditioned to check our humanity at the door. Business is business and if there are personal issues in your life, work doesn't care. Sit down. Shut up. And get your work done.
Nope. Sorry. I'm here to destroy that narrative.
I’m a firm believer in the fact that PEOPLE are what drives the bottom line. And if we ignore our humanity in the workplace, we are stifling our ability to be innovative, productive and you guessed it - profitable.
I'm a firm believer that we need to bring our full selves to work in order to be our most successful selves.
Are there days where we need to dust ourselves off and get to work? Sure. Are there days where work actually keeps us going despite all the chaos and heartbreak around us? Sure. But are there days where we need to give ourselves some space to breathe and regroup - YES.
That's the thing. It's both. We can be resilient while being compassionate towards ourselves. We can be hard working AND need a break. We can be successful providers for our families AND feel overwhelmed, overworked, and feel like we are failing.
Both can coexist. And when the workplace recognizes THAT’S where we are able to harness our power, that’s when the real profits and success will come.
But how? Every week I promise to deliver actionable and tactical communication tips.
Here's where you can start recognizing and communicating your humanity in the workplace.
Recognize the difficulty
Whether it is a difficult business goal or whether life has been difficult outside the office, recognize it
Communicate the goals
Anchor the conversation to the goal you are working towards
Offer a go forward plan
Always provide action and support
As a leader, it can look like this -
“Hey team, I recognize this week/month/quarter has been tough and I've been asking a lot of you. I want to thank you for showing up each and every day and I want to encourage you to bring your whole selves to work from here on out. This is new to me but we can work together to create a positive and inclusive culture. Our goals aren't changing but how we accomplish them can always be iterated and improved upon."
It might be uncomfortable to encourage open communication in the workplace (because #boundaries) but we can start simple.
As an employee, it can look like this -
“Hey boss, you might have noticed I haven't been as quick to respond to emails or accomplish project deadlines. I am still focused on delivering on my responsibilities but with everything going on outside the workplace, it's slowed my productivity a bit. Here is how I'm going to work towards our goals this week…”
It's ok to be transparent about not being in the best headspace. You don't have to disclose why, but you can be direct in communicating how you're showing up at work.
Writing effective emails is one way to be an effective communicator in the workplace but bringing your whole self to work (and encouraging it from others) will unlock a new vehicle to success you and your workplace haven't experienced yet.
