Oh, the places you need to connect and adapt
Too many business and political leaders are triggered into self-interested, negative actions. We have lost our ability to think and act beyond the immediate.
An eagerness permeates our business and societal actions. Too many want to jump to conclusions rather than invest in the reading and consideration necessary for accurate understanding. Social media adds to a triggered temperament, but a true growth mindset is a better way.
Are you present?
Rather than quickly describing how the pandemic will change our workplaces, a pause is required. A recent survey highlights how 44% of workers feel less connected to their coworkers and organizations. Worse, 74% of women feel a disconnection from their organizations. Our society has enough disconnection without more being introduced through our virtual workplaces.
Managers need to make a human connection, asking how individuals are doing, and being empathetic through listening and adjusting. A virtual element to how we work may remain, but we must understand the consequences of a nearly virtual workplace.
What connections are you making with your team members during the current crisis? How can human bonds be created in virtual spaces? Regardless of how our work changes in the future, we need to be present in the current moment.
Leaders need to be open-minded and exhibit a willingness to learn and adapt. We need to spend the time to dig deeper into what we need to preserve and what we need to transform.
Are you triggered to the past?
Some of us want to think we are adaptable and growth-oriented. However, we get triggered into hanging onto the past. When Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced an action to stop publishing six books, the loud voices immediately went to a cancel culture attitude by calling out politicians inaccurately. It was a business decision, not necessarily a political one. Also, it was a decision based on the legacy of Dr. Suess. Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, would periodically revise previous works, recognizing the problems with earlier books and making necessary edits. He adapted as society changed. He engaged his growth mindset.
Are you engaging your growth mindset, or are you being triggered to remain stuck in the past?
Time for greater social cohesion
We are all different as much as we are the same. Many of the past definitions of social cohesion include well-being, shared values, and a sense of belonging. What has been missing is a multicultural dimension. Multiculturalism embraces the idea of strength and resilience through diversity. Given our personal history and family upbringing, we may have different values, but we also have common ones. We need to understand the overlap. Shared values and a focus on the greater good can generate deeper trust and a sense of community.
The pandemic is causing disconnection within our workplaces. Before moving to some future of the workplace, we need to rebuild social cohesion across gender, race, and other social categorizations. Our polarization and fixed mindsets are causing disunion in our society. We need to adapt to be more inclusive and welcoming.
If we want to generate a future sense of connection, we need to renew ourselves to do more. We need to toss what is outdated, including dogma-based triggers. Instead, we need to restore a purpose of building social capital in our businesses and communities – today and for the future.
References
Dweck, C. (2016, January 13). What having a “Growth Mindset” actually means. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means
Human connection in the virtual workplace. (2021, March). The HOW Institute for Society. https://thehowinstitute.org/human-connection-in-the-virtual-workplace/
Fonseca, X., Lukosch, S., & Brazier, F. (2018). Social cohesion revisited: A new definition and how to characterize it. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 32(2), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2018.1497480
Kalman, D. Z. (2021, March 6). Op-Ed: Why Dr. Seuss’ evolution is the right lesson for us all. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-03-06/dr-seuss-evolution-cancel-culture