An excerpt from my book writing process…I intend to share more of these with you, and ask for your input as I go along to see if it lands.
There’s a movement afoot to bring vulnerability, uncertainty, risk, intellectual or emotional exposure and uninvited scrutiny to our organizations. However, without fostering a culture of curiosity through investing, practicing (and failing in) emotional literacy in a psychologically safe setting, we run the risk of weaponizing disclosures and traumatizing our teams. These lofty ideals around bringing the whole human to the workplace feels too soft, unsafe and maybe even dangerous. There is a temptation to make the workplace theWalmart of needs fulfillment- the need for connection, belonging and validation, which were historically fulfilled in the church, community hubs and tribal councils. With the decline of participation in organized religion, disconnection and displacement from cultural heritage, and compounded by physical isolation in favor of virtual connection, we aremore lost than ever. And due to the dispersed nature of organizations and companies today, colleagues and collaborators are not often in the same time and space continuum together. Though technological advancements have enhanced our capacity to “connect” virtually, the quality of this type of relating is up for debate. With augmented reality and artificial intelligence, it’s difficult to discern what is true and real- what is authentic and genuine? Though we are more interconnected through the interwebs than ever, we feel evermore bereft of belonging.
Photo credit: Olena Bohovyk