It's all about the communication

Burnout? Disengagement? Fights within teams?

I’ve been pretty quiet on Substack (but reading a lot of YOUR stuff!), because I was not sure what to talk about. After months now of hearing friends’ and family members’ stories about bad days at work or times things were going well, as well as reading article after article about how disengaged employees are, it seems pretty clear to me that at least 90% of the problems or joys can be boiled down to communication.

It’s something I am passionate about because I’ve seen friends really bloom when they are in an environment where there is healthy and respectful communication, and I think we all have stories about bosses and coworkers who seem stuck in bad communication loops.

You know them - the office gossip who seems to have a lot of time asking others’ about their weekends, but just can’t seem to get that report done by Friday. Or the boss constantly complaining about how no one knows what they’re doing or they aren’t giving him what he wants. Then there is the co-worker who seems checked out in meetings, scrolling on her phone, and she causes a project to stall because she’s not doing her part.

So much comes down to giving and receiving in communication. Good communication is not difficult, but it can be hard. So I’m going to use my space to share some observations, listen to your tips and stories, and see if we can’t start tipping the scales toward better communication in our workplaces. I may even dip my toe into friendships and romantic relationships from time to time (but not too much). Through our sharing and really listening, I think we can make the world a much better place.