Blog Posts from V.A. Brown Consulting “Manager of Choice”

photo by rrasfon

2020 has been the weirdest year ever seen.

How do you make sure your team is returning to a respectful workplace? The pandemic has forced most of us that still have jobs to work from home, the stress has been monumental and the concept of work/life balance has become comedic material for late-night talk shows. But there is hope. There is always hope and as we look ahead to 2021 there may be a beginning to return to (or redefine) “normal”.

Here’s the thing. We can’t just wake up and be “normal”. We must plan what that looks like and one place where it will be difficult but not impossible is the workplace. How do we take all of the angst, frustration, fear, and loneliness that we’ve experienced and not let it boil over when we are again working together in the same space? Creating a respectful workplace is necessary now more than ever.

Here are a few ways you can create a respectful workplace:

Focus on your communication. Take care in how you craft your conversations. Examine not only the words you use but your body language, tone, and approach.
Don’t make assumptions. People have different opinions on how things can be done. Commit to inviting those opinions and appreciating what others bring to the table.
See something, say something – When observing others being disrespectful find a way to address the issue in the moment. Be careful because you don’t want to use the situation as an opportunity to be disrespectful yourself.
Own your actions. Say thank you when warranted. Smile when engaging others. It may seem like a small thing, but it matters. Apologize when you make a mistake, and forgive yourself when you don’t get it right. After all, you’re only human.
Have the discussion. Ask others what a respectful workplace looks like and then work as a team to create the culture. When in doubt – ask.

This isn’t meant to be all-inclusive, but it is meant to get you thinking about how you want to treat others and be treated in a post-2020 world where we have been emotionally, physically, and psychologically drained for the better part of the year. By being respectful at work, at home, and in general, we can make the new “normal” even better than the old one. Here’s to a respectful 2021.

To learn more about respect in the workplace click here

Mental Health

“Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to understand and differentiate between their own emotions and the emotions of others and to express them appropriately.”

Good Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is important for our mental health more than ever these days. Why? Because today’s world is a scary place. Social unrest, pandemic woes, and months of sheltering in place have turned what we view as normal on its head. As a manager and a coach, I often talk about how emotional intelligence can make us better at our jobs, but it can also bring us the calm and balance we need to navigate through challenging times.

As we try to cope with the “new normal” it is now more important than ever to understand and manage ourselves. It is also important to understand and manage our relationships with the people with whom we come into contact. This is where emotional intelligence (EQ) comes into play.

Think about it, stress can make us crazy – figuratively and literally. Isolation can lead to loneliness and fatigue. Fear can make us irrational and skittish, and anger can potentially put us (and others) in harm’s way. Here are some of the things we can do to raise our EQ, and get back into balance:

CENTER YOURSELF

As soon as you realize that you’re feeling out of sorts (i.e. loneliness, anger, etc.), stop whatever you are doing and take a few seconds to understand the real threat. Concentrate on your breathing, count to 10, and do whatever it takes to center yourself. Of course, if there is a threat to your safety, remove yourself as quickly as you can.

ASSESS YOUR REACTION

Once you’re safe and calm, think about what you are feeling and how you want to manage yourself. Try to understand the part you played or are playing in the way you feel. Are you lonely because you haven’t been outside for a week? Did you yell at someone because not only were they being annoying, but you haven’t eaten, and your blood sugar may be a little low? Look at all the factors involved

PLAN WHAT TO DO NEXT

Give specific thought to how you can make the situation right. Whether it’s getting something to eat, apologizing to the person you yelled at, or simply learning to recognize the feelings you had and when they started so that you can be more aware the next time.

ACT ACCORDINGLY

Put your plan into action. Journal what happened. Talk it over with someone you trust. Make a to-do list. Whatever you can do to help you understand what’s going on and how you can change the direction of your response

Practicing good EQ may not solve all our problems but by becoming more aware of how we handle our emotions, with ourselves and with others, we can alleviate much of the stress and tension in our lives. Less stress – better health; both physical and mental.

The Respectful Workplace of 2021