| God bless America! I'm not sure I've got anything new to say on the Biden / Harris victory given the amount of content that is out there already, but having watched hours and hours of CNN there is a clip that I want to share. This is how much it means:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMoCW1Pq54&feature=emb_logo The last week of October was a dark one for me and last Wednesday morning was particularly dark. I'll be honest - I refused to get out of bed and take the kids to school. I hid under the duvet for a couple more hours. And now? Now perhaps we can feel hope. At least I do. One of the things that has depressed me most in recent times, something I truly grieved, was the loss of a strongly held belief of mine that the world is improving. The last four years have been a huge blip in that upwards trajectory but maybe it's time to hope again that the overall arch of the curve is upwards to a more inclusive world. What I've particularly admired about Joe Biden's recent rhetoric is the emphasis on leading for all and healing the divide across the nation. One of my favourite tweets has come from Matt Haig and it really does speak to the work we're trying to do with the Masculinity in the Workplace event next week. If you haven't already got your ticket, please do so here for 25% off. If money is an issue, get in touch. |
| "This week is reminding us how important it is to raise men who can lose, men who can cry and accept and flow forward. Rather than men who have to deny all emotions and reality under toxic illusions of victory and strength, like crumbling colosseums." - Matt Haig |
| Because I'm feeling more hopeful, I have given myself permission to look ahead to next year. These are the four big things we think companies are going to need help with next year. Leadership The workplace has changed enormously over the past year. Remote working, Black Lives Matter, mental health issues. We will need to come together and heal. I predict people will be looking for a more compassionate, empathetic and vulnerable leadership - skills that will need to be taught in many instances. Reducing inequity I'm convinced that many forms of inequity and inequality are going to be worse coming out the other side of Covid. I've said before that working parents (and in particular Mums) are those that I'm most worried about. Emma is particularly concerned about freelancers and millenials whose lives are on hold as we face in to a global recession. Companies will need to conduct diversity and inclusion audits and work out what barriers have been put up in the way of people's career success. It's time to get that pay gap work back on the boil again too (gender, ethnicity and disability). Healing trauma It is not an exaggeration to say that this year has been traumatic and people will still be reeling from it. Covid might turn out to be easier to manage than the mental health crisis accompanying it. I expect to see healing trauma on the strategy of all companies who truly care about their people. Reigniting careers There have been limited promotions, no pay rises, redundancies and a huge amount of firefighting rather than meaningful progress. In the face of this, many are re-evaluating what they want from their careers and their lives. Companies should be proactively supporting their people with this via career roadmapping conversations which seek to help people understand their purpose, values and strengths. We can support with all of this. Please do not hesitate to get in touch And remember to check in on everyone. Mental health is the priority until then. Rox |