I had this great message planned for you where I was going to talk about our role as leaders in the various stages of our careers. But then life interceded.
The story of Israel, the Palestinians, and the war against Hamas took center stage. (On top of the war in Ukraine.)
This happens sometimes, right? Something happens that fundamentally demands that we shift our thinking and rethink priorities.
You may be thinking, “As a leader, I stay out of political issues. It’s not my place and it will only create challenges trying to address this at work, with my team or colleagues.” Or, you may be thinking, “This has NOTHING to do with work.”
But that’s where you’re wrong.
You see, life and work, especially in this new era of remote and hybrid work, are inseparable. The reality is they’ve always been inseparable. You are one person. And yes, you may compartmentalize, but you’re still one person carrying around all those compartments.
This moment of war can be traumatic for people.
You may not be Israeli, Palestinian, or have any perspective at all on current events. But the media can be powerful and pervasive as we’re hearing alarming stories of catastrophic cruelty. And for those who are from marginalized communities, seeing protests, and hearing more stories of unacceptance of difference and violence toward those who are unlike others, hits home mentally and emotionally.
What are you to do as a BADA$$ leader?
Make space for your team members and colleagues.
Give them room to feel their feelings, express them safely and allow them to do what’s needed to work effectively during this time. Acknowledge that it is a difficult time in the world right now. No bold statements needed or any need to pick a political side.
Your only assignment is to prioritize and reinforce psychological safety right now. That’s. It. (Notice I said reinforce and not establish. It should already be there if you’re doing this leadership thing right!)
Check in a little more frequently.
Be aware that things that go on halfway around the world can still hit home.
I’ve said it before in this newsletter and it bears repeating: The world is bigger than your backyard.
BASIC Leaders pay no attention to how things outside of work impact people at work. They expect others to compartmentalize.
BOLD Leaders pay attention to what’s going on in the world and make the connection to work. They understand that each person is a single individual.
BADA$$ Leaders pay attention to what’s going on in the world and they work to understand how it affects those they work with. They create the safety that’s needed for individuals to be their whole selves while working, always.
Need some help understanding how to lead differently? Let’s hop on an Activation Session where we can get it out of your head and onto paper in 90 minutes. Click here for a consultation to get started.