Even if you’re a great swimmer, you cannot see what’s ahead of you if you’re swimming in the dark. The path forward is unclear and more than a little scary.
Leading in 2020 feels a lot like swimming in the dark.
I believe that the acceleration of everything around us coupled with paralyzing uncertainty is forcing us to think, feel and act differently. And, to lead more courageously.
It is more important than ever to challenge not only our thinking but our beliefs; preconceived notions of success, of the way things get done and the conversations that we have.
As a leader, applying tried and true techniques hoping to inspire your team to perform and achieve results may be leaving you flat; as if something’s missing. Our trusted and familiar skill-set is our default…yet is proving ineffective in today’s environment.
There’s a sense of disconnect with our teams. Some days even despondence. Old methods don’t seem to apply.
The world has changed. We’ve changed.
One thing I know for sure is that that disconnected employees statistically underperform; negatively affecting the customer experience, revenue & profits, your operation and culture.
Bottom line, people perform based on how they feel.
What scientists know for sure today is that humans are hardwired for connection and …emotions drive behavior and performance.
To positively impact engagement and other key performance indicators, this basic human understanding about our need for connection is foundational everywhere including the workplace.
It needs the attention of leadership – at every level.
How do your employees feel? It’s an uncomfortable question and sometimes difficult to talk about what’s really going on. Why? Because conversations like this require courage and for many, a new skill set.
They require a new mind-set too because these conversations on the surface are usually pretty simple but difficult to implement. They require leaders to step into new and unfamiliar territory.
The path to building a new culture of engagement and high performance starts you; with powerful yet uncomfortable conversations that reduce fear and build human connection.
That’s why we’ve embarked on a new initiative – to focus on conversations that build Emotional Safety and Trust. We call it, The New Workplace Imperative.
I do believe it’s time to lean into and facilitate some simple, illuminating conversations in the workplace that get to the heart of the matter.
People want to know it’s safe to speak up and be curious, to make mistakes and to be vulnerable. They want to fit in and be a contributing member of the team, yet they may not know how.
They’re likely to be swimming in dark waters too.
This is a moment when leaders can build a culture, together with their team, through creative, game-changing conversations that reduce fear, increase trust and build human connections.
When people feel connected, they feel safe…they can be creative, innovative and try new things.
This is the new emerging paradigm of PEOPLE FIRST…performance, productivity and profit will follow.
If this inspires you and you’d like to connect with other like-minded leaders to know more about Emotional Safety and Trust: The New Workplace Imperative, please visit:
https://EmotionalSafetyAndTrust.com
We’ll be talking about this a lot in the new year!
