This is my battle cry.
“Well that’s a new one”, I say incredulously to my co-facilitator at the end of our workshop.
I am holding a card that says one word. DICTATORSHIP. It is printed in bold, block letters as a response to the question:
‘What is blocking you from achieving a mentally healthy work environment?’
Yes. Dictatorship. It actually blows my mind that in the year 2022, the response to that question could or would be dictatorship.
The contradictions workshop is always the most challenging, but arguably the most important. Challenges go up on the wall for all to see. In a very respectful way. No naming names. No finger pointing. No disrespect is tolerated whatsoever.
That doesn’t take away from the heavy quality the air takes on about halfway through the session.
Words and phrases like:
-Silos
-No flexibility
-No communication between staff and management
-Too much red tape
-Not enough support
come up time and time again in these sessions.
It doesn’t matter what the work environment is, the same types of roadblocks consistently arise. So what are we doing to change this? And if nothing, then why in the hell not?
I remember one team I worked with had an outdoor crew. When asked what was their idea of an ideal workplace one card read ‘different coveralls’. When asked to embellish, a participant put up his hand and quietly said “It would be really nice to have lighter coveralls. I’m not sure why, but last year we were given different, heavier ones and they are way too hot to wear in the summer, it is so uncomfortable.” The supervisor’s jaw dropped. He had no idea.
THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Why did the supervisor have no idea? Why did not one person talk to him about it until they were volun-told to attend my workshop? Why were the coveralls changed in the first place without consulting the people who would be wearing them?
These are the questions that keep me up at night.
And this is why I feel so strongly about what I do. We spend most of our waking hours at work and if the places we are going to are not supportive, are negative, or most importantly, are not giving you the opportunity to have a voice and feel like a valued member of the team it certainly makes it challenging to want to show up.
So this is my battle cry.
Let’s start having the tough discussions. Asking the right questions. Bringing someone in to help if need be. Taking the time to work with your team to improve together. Building engagement. Improving communication. Collaborating more effectively. Becoming the team that you KNOW you have the potential to become.
Why? You ask. Because it is too important not to.
The pandemic had a huge impact on everyone, but these are conversations I was having even pre-pandemic. This means that teams need to come together now, more than ever because they’ve all lived through two mighty difficult years.
Taking the time to help your team get reacquainted and determine what kind of support is needed is detrimental to the success of your organization.
I believe that if you are leading a team, you want that team to thrive.
So in the words of Jerry McGuire I ask you “Who’s coming with me?”
