Hi Thrive community,
One recurring theme we're seeing as we navigate this unprecedented time is the importance of compassion and empathy, especially at work. Our routines and schedules have been disrupted, and we're facing so many more distractions while working from home. In our challenge to stay focused, expressions of empathy from leaders and teammates have been critical to our well-being and productivity. The support and kindness we lend to each other (and ourselves) has made all the difference while we stay physically apart — and will be more important than ever as we start to re-enter the workplace.
Today, I'd love for you to share how you plan to communicate or lead with compassion and empathy in our next normal.
What have you learned during this time about empathy, and how will you change the way you lead or communicate to be more sensitive to other peoples' stressors and challenges? Will you check in regularly with teammates and direct reports to stay connected and identify anyone who is struggling? Will you prioritize compassionate directness at work to create a culture of continuous and honest feedback? Tell us how you plan to prioritize compassion in our next normal.
Please write back to this email with your brief responses (no attachments please!)
A few guidelines for these:
- Please include your first and last name (or initials), as well as your career field and city/state/country, like this: —Jane Smith, corporate attorney, Atlanta, GA
- Please keep responses to around 300 words. We may edit them for length or clarity if we include them in a story. (If you feel compelled to write a longer post on this topic, feel free to do so!)
- Deadline for responses: 9 AM EST on Tuesday, May 26th
With all the stress, anxiety, social distancing and isolation stemming from the coronavirus, the need to connect with each other is more critical than ever. Join our dedicated Facebook group to stay connected with others and share your challenges and best tips for dealing with our new normal.
Please know that while I read each and every one of your responses and am grateful for the time you took to craft them, I won't be able to write back personally. But you can check here for the latest roundups, which feature my favorite nuggets of wisdom for each topic!
