A Healthy Workplace

After a two week sojourn, I find myself back in my office, glad to be here. There's still the paperwork and the blessed red tape of bureaucracy, but today I can handle that side of things. Why? Because this is the place where I belong. I am surrounded by "emotionally present" individuals whom I spend my workdays with.

All day, in between appointments, my colleagues have dropped by to welcome me back, to share their Christmas stories and to find out how my holidays went. Genuinely interested.......having thought about me and my family. Questions about how excited my children were opening their presents, about family and friends and turkey dinners and New Year's parties.......did my husband like the present that I had given him that I had told them about? No earth shattering inquiries. Just nice friendly interested small talk that makes up a sense of comraderie.

I have also learned a lot today, just listening to others. Through some of the conversations about Christmas experiences, recent readings, perceptions on the upcoming election, new resolutions........people have opened up and shared ideas, thoughts and themselves.

A healthy workplace generates interactions and appreciation for others. There is a palpable enthusiasm that spreads, especially if one feels acknowledged and listened to. However, one has to be aware of one's attitude and how that is being projected. If one is open to interactions and new ideas......smile on your face, focused listening, expressive questioning..........your attitude shines onto others. It truly is infectious.

While the Management spends two days downstairs meeting to plan whatever they need all that time to plan for, the rest of us are investing our days working in the frontlines, supporting one another, sharing our personal stories and managing our own mission for being here. Interesting.

Maybe I should suggest to those busy Managers who are crunching numbers, looking at stats and trying to find a way to change the service delivery or some such thing that they should go back to the drawing board and read the FISH! Philosophy. But, then again..........they'd probably read it, arrange for another meeting to discuss the philosophy and then move onto the next item on their agenda.....developing their staff's workplans without input from us.

Best stay in touch with the frontlines..............