Hey Boss! What's the vibe like in your workspace?
I was perusing my social media feed recently and came across a post that read “If you won a trip to Hawaii but in order to go, you had to take your last boss, would you do it?”.
I only knew about this post because a former employee tagged me and said they would be delighted to take me on that journey. First, what a beautiful blessing and an incredible compliment. I am humbled and very grateful.
When I read further down and reviewed some of the comments, there were a bazillion “likes” next to someone who stated they would rather stay home and do manual labor instead of taking that imaginary trip with the old boss. I let out a very sad Wow. I guess I wasn't really surprised though. So many of us have fallen into the "I hate my job" pit of despair at some point or another.
I like to think of the workplace as a company ocean. Everyone is inside of their own energetic rowboat, navigating the waves, currents and tides while also making our own personal ripples and disturbances as we attempt to find our way to specialized destinations.
Work can be a complicated and stressful environment. However, the management teams that consistently demonstrate respect, patience, and gratitude for their talent will recieve the same in return. I've seen this in action as I lead in this way. It works and it is a beautiful thing.
Raising the vibe at work is best achieved when it begins at the executive or managerial level. Team members that feel their contributions are valued and necessary, tend to pursue their craft with excellence, joy and purpose. Clients, vendors and guests can feel the positive difference in a team that feels supported by it's management. And usually... Happy Clients = Happy Shareholders.