Careful, your status is showing

Leaders in organisations, wherever they go, sit, leave, speak, eat ... come with status attached. It can't be hidden.

At a client workshop recently, about two hours in to the session, a senior leader tip-toed into the room, closing the door gently. They were trying not to disturb the session. But really? They couldn’t be missed.

😩

Their status comes in the door first!

At other workshops and meetings, many leaders have said, ‘ I’m not participating today, I’m just observing’.

Now even more of your status is showing.

As a modern leader in today’s work environment it’s wise to stop making yourself even more separate, different and higher.

There’s a decision to make : either be IN it with the team in the room, or get OUT of it and leave them to do the work of the workshop or meeting.

Also, quick question :
Why and what are you 'observing'?
Why not get involved?

There’s rarely a need for leaders to be 'on the fringes’ of a workshop or meeting, doing the watching, checking, observing, judging.

Participate, do the work, connect and listen to people, get your hands dirty, hear their stories, be there, getting it. Or vanish.

A special title isn’t special when it comes to working with a team in a practical session.

I’d prefer leaders either remove themselves and their status, or reduce their status and stay.


👀 Seen some status recently? How else do leaders show or throw their status around, perhaps unknowingly?

How to let your boss know that you are overwhelmed and overloaded

It can be difficult to communicate that you need support - in any context but especially work. 

Short of having the word ‘HELP’ tattooed on our forehead, what can we do to communicate clearly that we need the support of our boss?

… read my article published in Body and Soul in news.com.au 

A nap is a better way of working

Schedule it in. Sometime between 2-4pm and for between 10-20 mins. 

Go to the same place, lie down, close your eyes … and nap!

Workdays. 

It’s like a coffee break but don’t drink the coffee. 

I find I can have a nap maybe 1-2 days a week, but wondering about making it a regular work day thing. 

Don’t do this if you have insomnia. 

And I imagine anyone who’s diary is ‘packed’, ‘slammed’ or ‘back-to-back’ may not see how this is even possible. 

Start scheduling some time. 

Even if you don’t nap at first, but just stop, take a break, empty your cognitive load, move, think differently, get some fresh air, talk to a human in person, or reprioritise your to-do list … they’re good things too. 

Keep looking for better ways of working for they will become better ways of living. 

Do you nap? Read more in this article 

Do you do too much work

What is too much? And how do we know what enough is? 

When we push on working longer hours, it can have less than good effects on us. 

The consequences of stress, overload and that feeling of ‘it’s all too much’ can become the beast that is burnout. 

And it’s not a good place to be. 

Check off the five things to do to outsmart the overwhelm of too much work. 

It’s in an article by …. me 😀 in CEOWORLD magazine. 

What does it sound like

Awkward silence. 
Deserted office. 
Difficult to focus. 

Each of these quiet situations can potentially benefit from the beauty that is music. And so can we. 

No, not just the radio or those poppy head banging louder tunes. 

Think more like ambient music … it’s music you may not recognize and barely notice. 

But it’s there. And it’s been shown to help with distraction and focus management, productivity, creativity … and community. 

Could your space do with some music? Might your headspace benefit? Do you know the impacts it could have on you? 

I’m writing this post listening to an Apple music station, ‘Spa’. It’s like I’m waiting for the massage therapist to come in for my relaxation massage. 😃 It’s a great way to start the day. 

During the workday when I need to focus, I’ll play the ‘Chill’ station. 

I write more about the benefits of music, white noise and ambient noise in my book ‘Argh! Too much information, not enough brain’. It’s a practical guide to outsmarting overwhelm.

And this great article talks about how music might help us work better in this new and changing hybrid world. 

I think I’d edit the title to say ‘your LIFE probably needs more ambient music’. 

Press ‘play’ more often.