What’s a human leader to do as we all try to figure out how to navigate the future of work? There are so many variables right now around the return to the office, working from home, hybrid models, and everything in between, that it can be tough to make the smartest and safest decisions. And we can’t do this difficult work alone. 

That’s why for the finale of the Hybrid season of Left to Our Own Devices, we’re running a special episode: a live webinar (previously recorded) from keynote speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Happier, Nataly Kogan, called the Awesome Human Hour. Nataly invited Erica on the weekly webinar, and they discussed why in this transition period, honoring relationships, focusing on well-being, and shifting to outcomes instead of hours is a great start. They also talked about why leading with vulnerability, transparency, clear communication, and gratitude are powerful ways to ensure engagement from employees and leaders alike. And as always, Erica reminded us that rituals are a sure-fire tool for offering the people in our organizations psychological safety, a greater sense of purpose, and a boost in performance, especially in uncertain times. Listen in for two expert takes on how to be an awesome human leader during this transition.

 

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Quotes:

– “We have just gone through something incredibly stressful...Acknowledge for yourself and for others—your team, your organization—everyone is coming into this depleted. We are not at our best in terms of our energy and our focus because we’ve just gone through something really exhausting, and it’s not over. It still has ramifications.”

– “Why are change and transition so hard? Your brain only has one job: keep you safe from danger. Any uncertainty signals possible danger to your brain. What does the brain do when it senses danger? It starts to look for everything that could go wrong. It’s so important for you individually and for you as a leader of a team to recognize that, as we’re going through this transition, everyone’s brain is looking for, ‘What about this change am I not going to like? What is going to be annoying? What is going to be frustrating?’ Not because they’re negative people—there’s no such thing. It’s just that’s how our brain deals with change. It starts to focus on what could go wrong because it thinks that it can protect us.”

– “When you share what you’re worried about, you give everyone else permission to acknowledge what they’re stressed about. And that creates a sense of connection, common experience, and psychological safety, that actually helps to reduce that stress. I’ve been looking at some research about leaders who handle crises the best, and the most effective leaders during crises (which is what we’re going through right now) are those who openly acknowledge their challenges and create a space for people on their team to do the same.”

– “We all want to connect, and it is important, but when we get busy and stressed, it goes to the bottom of our list. Not because we’re bad people, but just because our brain is going, ‘What do I need to do?’ Just putting on your to do list: check in, is transformative. Be intentional but also be making these concrete to-do’s part of your schedule, part of your day. Don’t feel weird about scheduling kind things.”

– “The pandemic was a wake up call. When people are under extreme stress, we can’t talk about performance.”

– “Leaders ask me this a lot: ‘How do I encourage well-being and self care for my team?’ You cannot teach what you don’t practice….Before I burnt out, I was the leader who told my team to take the weekend off, and make sure you’re taking time for you. And you know what I did on the weekends? I sent them emails, I worked on public documents that they can see, so I just created an atmosphere of a lack of trust because I wasn’t practicing. So the number one thing you can do as a leader is, you have to make your own emotional fitness your number one priority. What do I mean by emotional fitness? Emotional fitness is a skill of cultivating a more supportive relationship with yourself, your emotions, your thoughts, and other people.”

– “Creating a ritual, creating something that is meaningful to you, that is a positive experience, that makes you feel comfortable, actually signals safety to your brain.”

– Tip for practicing Emotional Fitness: “Make a quick list: what are some things that fuel you? Maybe your list includes a creative hobby that you used to do. Learning something new is really fueling. Our brain loves to learn something new...Make it intentional for yourself to practice a few of those things. Make them part of your daily fuel up.”

 

Links to Websites or Resources, text numbers email signups

Nataly’s website

Nataly’s book, Happier Now

Join a future Awesome Human Hour

Erica’s website

Erica’s course How to Bring Your Human to Work for Leaders starting Sept. 2021

Order Erica’s book, Rituals Roadmap

Order Erica’s book, Bring Your Human to Work

Text ‘human’ to 66866 to sign up for Erica’s newsletter where she shares how to honor relationships well and how to bring your human to work and life.
 

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