When protection gets in the way of connection
How the masks we wear at work to protect and shield us from harm, now could be preventing us from making meaningful human connections
The red-eye flight to London City airport from Amsterdam was full. It wasn’t my first flight since COVID-19 but it was one that I will remember.
The cabin crew moved around getting us ready for take off and started the regular announcements, but something was a little different. She said,
“Face masks are not mandatory on this flight but you are free to wear your mask during the flight. If you are wearing please be aware that in the case of an emergency you will need firstly remove your face mask and then fit your oxygen mask. The two masks will not work together.”
Two masks will not work together.
One serves as a protective barrier and the other supplies essential life saving oxygen.
I was on my way to London to talk on a conference panel about Authenticity and I was mulling over the thoughts about what really gets in the way of us being able to be authentic at work. And I realised that it was exactly like the masks we have become accustomed to wearing. We spent two years learning to and using a mask to give us some protection and peace of mind. But now, boarding that flight we learn, it might just be the thing that gets in the way of life-giving oxygen at the moment when we need it.
What are the masks we have learned to wear?
In the roles we play we may have slipped on a mask that we didn’t even realise was there; Professional, Mother or Father; Son or Daughter, Employee, Boss, Leader, Friend, Lover. What are the masks that help us play these roles.
And the role of leader…Wow leaders have a hard job to do! It is hard to be a leader, even harder to be an authentic leader and a human leader. It goes against what we have learned from a young age, certainly in my generation and before.
At school – be right, fit it, have the right answer, don’t fail.
Then we enter the workplace and we learn- be professional- don’t be emotional, leave the messiness at home, be like us, dress like us
And we become leaders and we have to take responsibility… be a leader. Be like them at the top.
What we end up with is a version of that leader that is polished and painted. An outer mask that we don’t even know we are wearing.
But then the world changed… we need more from leaders because we have a climate crisis and mental health issues and economic and political instability and wars.
Leaders need to be more human, more whole, communicate in a way that creates connection, have emotional intelligence be flexible and open.
Being a human leader invites is to be courageous to remove the protective masks, drop the ego and bravado.
Have the best questions for your team - not the best answers
Be okay with messy and different for yourself and for your teams
Make time to have meaningful connections, you will always be busy.
Lead with courage not fear
Lead with Compassion not indifference
Have the curiosity to learn and test and play
Have the intention to connect in a meaningful way at work so that you can learn how each person can be their best human self at work.
Busy?
Being busy is a simple example, if you consistently make time for connection, make time for being human, we can encourage the people we lead to do the same. When there is a real issue, you want people to feel that you will have or make the time to listen.
Can you afford to be too busy to hear the real issues people face?
If we need to collaborate, work better as teams, innovate and work toward big goals, we need to strong and trusted relationships. We can handle more, achieve more and care more when we are connected.
So let yourself be open to connection, and breathe it in!
Get more human
Humanly is dedicated to creating Clarity, Compassion and Curiosity.
Champions of Human leadership and communication, we help clients to build leaders and organisations who are self-aware, manage meaningful relationships, practice emotional intelligence and a mindset of curiosity and growth.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Every third Thursday of the Month you can come and learn and grow more human with us. The collective is a community of like-minded leaders, coaches, HR and communication professional. Hope to see you there!
