The Positive Energy Workplace

CONTAGIOUS CULTURE, CONTAGIOUS YOU...

Who would have thought we’d be in a CONTAGIOUS PANDEMIC just four months after the release of CONTAGIOUS YOU (the follow on to CONTAGIOUS CULTURE)? Or even deeper in that pandemic -- amongst hundreds of other hard things that challenge our energetic and leadership contagiousness and way of being -- just eight months later. Or after I'd written a book call THE LEADER YOU WILL BE...

I'll write another post about the experience of this year with these books, and the divinity and gifts I can see in all of it (now). And in the meantime, I wanted to offer some extra guidance and support in engaging with this work right now as we navigate pandemics, politics, natural disasters, social injustices, massive tension and ambiguity, mental and physical health trauma, upcoming holidays, and more, and as our leadership, self-care, and positively, usefully, and healthy contagiousness become even more important... 

Navigating this year has been tricky -- I know I'm not alone. The range of emotion I experience, almost daily, is like nothing I've ever felt before -- a mix of personal feelings, empathy for what's going on, feeling the collective energy and emotions on our planet right now, and ambiguity galore -- combined with a lack of control of so many big things -- creating an incredible amount of global anxiety. It's a lot. 

I've started this post four separate times this week. Each time I've started, I've gotten distracted. A stressed text from a loved one. Increasing smoke and decreasing air quality from the fires throughout California. Notice of a medical emergency. A news alert on my phone, (almost always followed by getting sucked into social media)...

Whatever the case (and this seems to happen more and more frequently), my previously energized and focused brain, after any of these (or a combination of the above) -- shuts down. And all that "ready to engage, ready to write, ready to whatever, zoom zoom!!" energy goes... kaput. 

We are in a new era of leadership. Many of us thought we were in a new era in the last few years (I guess we were), and oh... wow... little did we know. What is required NOW as we navigate the present moment and lead into the future, is similar in some ways (after all, we're talking about human beings, human dynamics, connection, and leadership), and also will require more -- and in new ways.

For some, right now is a moment to pause, take a breath, and intentionally consider what they want to put back into their life to be "busy" with. For others, right now is a moment of sheer overwhelm and it feels impossible to even get a moment of peace to themselves, let alone think about how busy they are. For some, anxiety, fear, overwhelm, and helplessness are at an all-time high. For some, gratitude and hope for the gifts of learning, unrest, change, and possibility are at an inspiring level. For some, it's a combination of all of the above -- a little bit or a lot of each. Or something entirely different. This moment is highly personal to each of us; what we're going through, how we're navigating it, what we're learning (and unlearning), what we're challenged by, and how we're loving and leading through it.