This is not sustainable.  We (and every created thing) function best in rhythms of rest and productivity.  We deprive ourselves of true rest by never truly disconnecting from work.

We should stop asking about people’s reproductive roadmap, especially in work-place settings. 
Don’t ask when someone is going to start a family, when they are going to have more children, or even when they are going to become a grandparent (i.e. when are your kids going to start having kids?).

You simply do not know what journey the individual is on…and you could put them in an awkward situation. 
And if they do invite you into that space of conversation, proceed with great awareness and care.   

Remember, empathy begins at home.  Consider the golden rule:  love your neighbor as you love yourself.  If you are not growing in empathy and care for the disruptive, orphaned parts of your own story, it will be difficult to (sustainably) show up with care and support for those you care about at work and in life.

Remember, progress over perfection every time.  Don’t be a Self-Loathing Sally or an Avoidant Andy.  Instead, when you realize the gap between who you want to be and your actions, move into the gap with meaningful actions and communication.

Showing up for people doesn’t always feel easy.  While creating cultures of care at work, in friendships, at home, there are moments where you’d rather not.  Not write that text or come back early.  Not lean in and listen or show up.

These Cheer-Up Cheryls have a gift of positivity and are usually driven by connection; they care about the other person and desperately want to make things “better”.

But they end up sounding tone-deaf and forcing the other person to either put up a happy facade or to shut down into silence. 

Shame is a crappy motivator. Shame can get you short-term results, but in the long term, it demeans your people and undercuts your authority as a leader. Communicating boundaries and expectations with trust shows confident, caring leadership.

How can you support someone in your life or on your team as they go through the death of a pet? Here are just a few of the meaningful gestures that our community sent our way after we lost Tozer.  Maybe they can inspire you as you consider care for those that have lost a pet.

Showing up for others means showing up in a way that matters to them…and this sometimes involves setting aside your ego.

You can use emotional mirroring to build connection at work. Many people feel uncertain of how to respond when someone is experiencing strong emotions. “What do I do?” or “What do I say?” When another person is feeling mad/sad/hurt/overwhelmed/happy, they want to know that you “see” them. This is where emotional mirroring helps.

How do we create a culture where people want to share (so that we can practice empathy)? Great question from my morning session with the hard-working team of the United Way of Central Indiana. They are doing such important work! One great way to open up a deeper level of understanding and support is to do a temperature check with your team.

Micro-compassions. Isn’t that a great term? Scott Shute defines micro-compassions as the powerful movement from “Me” to “We”. Here are a few to try in your workplace today…