Many of us are barely keeping our heads above water. It’s been easy to put ourselves and our needs on the back burner.
We might feel desperate.
- Desperate for fulfilling connections
- Desperate for learning that helps us makes sense of this experience
- And desperate for some time to put ourselves first (or to even just give ourselves a thought)
We are seeking the return of what, at some point, felt normal, but now is lost. And we are trapped in what feels like an endless, repeating loop.
In our heart of hearts, we know normal is not returning. Over the past two years, we have created something new; a dance that we do not know the steps for, and for which there is no instructor.
The music keeps changing – frequently, quickly and without notice. Our tempo needs to adjust, but we can’t quite find the right rhythm. In this metaphor, we are trying to learn many dances at once, we are changing dance partners mid-stream in an effort to find the right match and we are seeking a teacher who can help us make it easier. As a leader, you are both student and teacher attempting to watch from the balcony yet, still needing to be on the dance floor.
At some point, we need a slow song; one that gives us time and space to breathe, hold one another in a new way, and catch up to ourselves. Can we just have one song where we can rock gently back and forth for a moment (you know the one I am thinking of)? One where we can stop trying so hard to get it right and not need to think about what comes next? One that allows us a deep sense of comfort; where we know the words and the moves and can sink into the nostalgia of a different time.
As you enter 2022, you might be feeling the same frustration, resentment, and exhaustion that has become such a familiar companion or perhaps you are feeling a renewed strength and clarity, even hopefulness and intention at what the year might bring. Either way, the need to prioritize your growth and development has never been stronger.
As a leader, you are working to create environments where your team members can feel a sense of belonging and connection to one another, where people want to stay and feel valued, and where individuals are healthy and productive.
It can be tempting to postpone team and personal development due to time constraints, financial barriers, or the perception it is not needed. For all these reasons, we have seen a growing gap in employee satisfaction and engagement, and retention. Much of this can be attributed to employees feeling lost, left behind, and not supported, often because their leaders feel the same way.
Don’t postpone development—for you or your team members. As you enter the New Year, give yourself and your team the opportunity to be strengthened by our current circumstances and not continuously depleted. Through coaching, team development sessions, or our Conscious Coach and Conscious Leader signature programs, we have supported and guided teams through the challenges they face.
We might not know what song is going to play next, but we can teach you how to dance to a different drummer. We can give you skills to be in flow and manage the complexity and ambiguity in a new way.
Happy New Year.
