Here are some quotes from one of the best podcasts I’ve listened to this year:
“You’re not a high performer unless you help others succeed.”
“Dedication is not the hours you put in but the commitments you keep.”
“When leaders set personal boundaries it’s called balance, but when employees do the same it’s called quiet quitting?”
“Vulnerability is not about broadcasting your emotions on social media – it’s about making close, meaningful connections.”
These are from the latest episode of Dare to Lead by Brené Brown – a conversation with Simon Sinek and Adam Grant about ‘What’s Happening At Work’ (Part 1 and 2).
Brown, Sinek and Grant are experts in organisational culture and leadership who got together for a chat – and their insights really resonate.
The pandemic has affected all of us in some way, good and bad. It’s not uncommon to hold opposing feelings simultaneously about where we’re at.
Everything requires constant maintenance – work, relationships, boundaries, balance. You are never “there”.
High performance is not about individual heroes. The Navy SEALS are often held up as the gold standard – but they’re all about teamwork. Heroes are a liability and get people killed. Top Gun is a great movie, but in real life Maverick wouldn’t last five minutes.
However, most organisations today still reward individual performance – not teams where people elevate each other. This creates the wrong culture by design. No wonder people are questioning things.
Lots has been said about ‘quiet quitting’, a new term for disengagement which is not helpful.
There are many different root causes for disengagement, and sometimes it’s not disengagement at all – it’s about setting boundaries. There is a difference between someone quiet quitting a bullshit job with a bad boss, and a committed person setting boundaries for their work.
It’s not about the hours you put in, but the quality of them. Boundaries are OK.
Negotiating boundaries is hard – because by nature they have to be flexible. It’s not about rigidly enforcing your own boundaries, but also about respecting those of others. It’s give and take. A constant negotiation.
Negotiating is a skill to find common ground based on common purpose – and it’s not taught enough.
Same with listening. You don’t get to decide if you’re a good listener. “You’re not present until someone else feels that you’re present.” It’s a skill that needs to be taught and practiced.
As a coach, these are some of the thoughts that strongly resonated with me on this podcast… highly recommended (search ‘Dare to Lead’ on Spotify or check out Brené Brown’s website).
True Horizon Coaching 