Do You Have A Couple Of Minutes

There have been and continue to be lots of lessons from the pandemic.  The business community is talking about the Great Recession, that perhaps might well be called the Great Reckoning.  The pandemic again reminded us that many things are not only out of our control, they can change quickly, and seemingly change forever.  The discomfort of change can come alongside the opportunity to re-evaluate old habits and routines.  Re-evaluate whether the life we are living is scripted by our unique intention or if it is a comfortable pattern of existence that no longer serves a current need or moves things forward.  The idea of having it all and the exhausting effort that comes along with that may not seem alluring in the midst of a pandemic.  The pandemic is not shy in reminding us of uncertainty and the importance of honing in on what matters to us. The pandemic both allows us to see what is and is not in our control.  So perhaps this period of Great Reckoning has allowed us to confirm what matters to us, our purpose, and desired intentions and it's provided a chance for a reset.  For some that will include employment change of some sort, for others, it may look like being really intentional about how their time and talents are spent at the same place of work. Re-engaging at a more focused level and maintaining a healthy routine to be engaged in personal life as well, a reestablishment of boundaries.  Yet, others may find their life approach on target and reinforced.  The pandemic has reminded us that change is ever-present, and that re-evaluation of what holds the greatest value for us is important for living a personally fulfilling life.

True Apologies focus on what occurred, acknowledge how what happened impacted others, and confirm learning has taken place that has or will result in changed behavior for the better. 

When I began my career in HR almost 30 years ago, it used to bug me when people called the company a family, unless it was a family owned business.  In my mind family had a much stronger bond than a company.  Perhaps starting your career in an era where downsizing seemed to be a norm, had a little something to do with my perspective, as well as being part of "families" that exemplified characteristics of inclusion in authenticity, acceptance of imperfection, and a continued belonging even in variance and disagreeemnt.  In the business world there seemed to be so much focus on "fit" which really seemed to mean "fitting in" and conforming to the point of exercising some inauthenticity, or perhaps maybe just some holding back.  Different leaders had differnet responses to circumstances and some were more proactive in anitcipating business conditions, while others were more reactive.  Over the years, it's been my expereince that a lot of learning has taken place around belonging, inclusion, and authenticity.  Progress is apparent in the way organizations express their value proposition to employees and expressed employee experience.  And even so, I wonder, when there are strong opposing opinions around personal persepctives and beliefs, are organizations able to truly embrace inclusion and belonging in those circumstances as a model "family?"  So much of the learning around belonging, inclusion , and authenticy seems to go beyond understanding and emplathy to desiring a commonality of perspective, that may actually cause people to be less authentic in their discomfort and fear of being tolerated versus genuinely included.  So, while I think the idea of family in a work setting is a great, I am just not sure of how many organization are truly abel to embody the reality of familal belonging and inclusion in authenticity.  I believe we are stronger when we come together in authenticity, and know that we are able to contribute at the highest level when our participation is the expectation, and we all feel that we belong and are included in our authenticity.

Obstacles can be a pathway to success and fulfillment - if we allow them to.  Perspective matters.

It's OK to ask why and I think we should ask why about overtime. I am not against overtime, but I think it should be understood. Is overtime necessary because there is no other time to get the work done?  Is overtime necessary because of poor planning, such as promising more than we can reasonably deliver,  Perhaps, the overtime was planned in order to do more, deliver more in fewer days.  Perhaps overtime was planned as a bit of free labor, a kind of modern day slavery where there is production without corresponding reward for the laborers.  Maybe overtime is about passion, losing oneself in a task or a work that provides a sense of value, belonging, or making a difference and that is worth all the effort.  Maybe it is a tradeoff, being able to work longer during the warm sunny times - real or hypothetical, and not so much when light is scarce and weather is bad. I was listening to a brain scientist today share that science and research now tell us that there is diminished effectiveness when people work long hours, and when there are no breaks for a bit of rest and rejuvenation of the mind. A coach stated that perhaps we are over scheduled and need to allow time for interruptions so we can better manage our time and avoid burnout that comes because we haven't planned a time to rest.  Technology allows us to work faster and more effectively than times past, and yet so much still seemingly rides on the existence of overtime.  And is it really overtime, if it is expected time?  So, perhaps we would do well to think about the "why" behind our overtime, acknowledge the reason, and plan accordingly.  There's nothing wrong with putting in more effort than the minimum or average - just make sure you know your "why."

We sometimes impose limits on ourselves by allowing F.E.A.R. (False Expectations Appearing Real) and Comparison creeping in.  We all have unique gifts to offer based on our unique perspectives and experience.  Ultimately the fulness of who we can become is a measure of realizing our true selves, not a comparison to anyone else.

We've long heard the phrase consider the source.  Perhaps that unintentionally results in source bias.  Do we discount valuable content because it does not come from a known or elite source.  Perhaps in an age where technology allows for analysis in the blink of an eye, we should focus on the content and more critically evaluate the information we received.  Can we really afford to be lazy when listening to "experts?"  Can we afford to defer learning because we don't pay attention when source bias gets in the way?  Our reality is that great ideas, creative ideas, disruptive ideas can come from many sources - and the integration of ideas and thoughts that can change the world, do not have a prerequisite of a trodden path.  We might be better if we were more attentive to the content and mindful to be conscious of the bias that may be the barrier to our progress, success, and fulfillment.

We must operate from a place of sincerity and truth, that will impact our influence and our path forward.

Returning to the Office is a big topic of discussion for many.  The pandemic has given us some new perspective and some time to think about how we can manage our lives to our greatest potential.  Many have taken their commute times to create changed routines that have been helpful in bringing greater fulfillment to life.  Some have really missed the camaraderie of an office or the wind down time of a commute.  Some have found there is benefit in working from home, just as there is benefit in working from the office, and so are looking for a hybrid approach or some new approach to flexibility of work location.  And still others are ready to be in the office as much as possible.  What we know through experience is that there is rarely one perfect approach that works for every unique individual or organizational circumstance.  When we are willing to listen for understanding, and committed to working for a creative situation, a viable option to try out can usually be found and improved over time,  Creative solutions usually mean a different approach that can render different results...and those results should be for the better.  As we consider our return to the office, let's commit to listening and sharing with one another.  There's been a lot of changes in technology since the office concept was initially popularized, and a lot of changes in physical population, communication, how we work in teams, and transportation. Gathering together in relationship is certainly valuable, and how that together and relationship looks may look varied.  ,There will also be variance in how we individually take care of the needs of our souls, hearts, and minds that allow us to reach our greatest potential. Reaching our greatest potential should a significant part of our Return to the Office consideration.

We are always talking to ourselves as our mind is constantly working.  We must be kind to ourselves and give ourselves grace.  What we say to ourselves matters.  We have the ability to treat ourselves positively.  We must be honest with ourselves, it is our path to personal growth..