One fallacy in leadership is this ‘rule’ that you should leave your problems at the door.
It’s old. It’s outdated. It’s damaging – not just to the human having a human experience, but to the organisation and its culture as a whole.
On one hand yes, sure, if you show up there is an element of an agreement to do the thing in some capacity.
Here’s the nuance that statement is missing though: When a leader acknowledges that they are stressed, they are communicating clarity to the people they lead and work with.
They are communicating that “Hey, I’ve got something going on so may not be my best self. I’ll keep myself in check, but if I seem distracted or not talkative, it’s important you know it’s not you.”
They are saying “Hey, I’m human too. So I’m going to acknowledge my stress so you’re not having to do the guesswork. Just like it’s a safe environment for you to do the same, if you’re ever feeling a certain way.”
They are expressing an open line of “Hey, if we know one of the team is needing a bit of extra support right now, we are more able to provide it. Which means our collective or individual workloads never get too on top of us, and we feel more safe in general working together.”
This speaks a lot more to helping the sustainability of the organisation, AND of the team itself.
Sustainable teams lead successful ventures.
Not to mention the time, financial, and opportunity cost and upheaval of a constantly changing workforce when their only option is to leave – happily or otherwise.
This article was originally posted over on my Substack.
