A few months ago, Jean-Pierre and I facilitated a retreat for a team that was experiencing an important change in leadership. There was a lot the team couldn’t control, but they unanimously rallied around a commitment to show more care in the organization. After the retreat, the leaders weren’t exactly sure how to put this intention into action, but eventually, they decided to fix a lingering issue that was affecting their front-line workers. They remodeled their bathroom! It was a practical and thoughtful way to show care and make a difference in the workplace.
During the Fall, I heard many successful “show your care” stories as well as many failures. I have reflected on the reasons why I, as well as others, don’t show our care as often as we could. I give you my top 2023 reasons:
- We have learned to protect ourselves by saying “I don’t care,” an automatic way to close our heart from hurt. So, we don’t care.
- Because of our busy life, we believe that we have to choose between showing care and behaving efficiently.
- We are too busy resenting others who “don’t care” to be able to show care. What an irony!
- We are infatuated with our own opinions, and oblivious to their impact on others.
- We are triggered by others deferring opinions and tend to disengage.
- We are immobilized by the fear of being ignorant, insensitive, offensive, enabling or most of all wrong.
I was recently reminded by a wise person that we can be our ignorant self about any topic of conversation, even about the Middle East, and still show our care for the other side.
We can both show our care and disagree; show our care and set boundaries. In fact, it’s probably the only right way to disagree and set boundaries: showing our care first.
How to be thoughtful, creative, and practical in showing our care to others and reverse pernicious trends that lead to indifference or worse, hatred? How will we surmount fears, prejudices, arrogance, and righteousness in 2024?
That is our reflection for next year, at The Trust Factory.
With gratitude for our connection, we wish you a nurturing end of the year, and expand your care in 2024!
Carole and Jean-Pierre
