Recently I've been spending more and more time with several 20 and 30-something-year-olds every week doing career coaching via zoom as part of Pace University's Honors Business Mentorship Program. Not surprisingly with the extreme stress of our COVID-19 times, the conversations took shape around what grounds us and makes us feel safe as individuals as well as professionals just starting out. The majority of those I spoke with expressed shame and disappointment in themselves for feeling insecure and untethered. They were looking for something solid in their work lives and reported that their managers seemed even more unmoored than they were. So, what can we do to authentically strengthen the ties with and between our teammates? How do we connect with our coworkers in a way that promotes their sense of safety and enables productivity? Paying attention to our internal communications, both formal and informal, is essential. Younger colleagues in particular seem to be craving more, not fewer, touchpoints. And, maybe we intentionally go back to basics. We go back to our mission and explicitly communicate and celebrate our purpose for the work we do (in fun and interactive ways). We also support our colleagues at all levels of the organization in finding their personal purpose. With the daily spasms of change, as well as the prospect of deep structural change in our organizations, culture, and markets, leaders are being challenged to find their own footing first. Leaders need to establish a nuanced communications interplay between expressing "vulnerability" (which could be viewed as uncertainty and heighten anxiety), and keeping clarity and certainty around values, purpose, and priorities front-and-center. While we all may be feeling adrift, our leaders need to locate and direct us toward the islands along the way to the shore. These islands give us something short-term to cling to together. They can be a place where adaptive skills are learned, surprising new ideas appear, and unique opportunities surface.
#teams #personalpurpose#opportunity#teams
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