Your Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work)

Time to read: 43 seconds.
Time to download The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work): 10 seconds

My kids are cleaning their rooms. This seemed appropriate for today.

I ran into an old friend at the airport on my way to celebrate my college roommate's wedding. He talked about a year of difficulties hiring on Zoom and the awkward online team meetings devoid of casual side conversations and eating lunch together. He admitted he is both looking forward to and dreading the awkward return to in-person work in the fall.

Then he said: "There's no playbook for this stuff."

A lightbulb went off in my brain, and I thought: "Yes there is. I'm going to write it."

I spent the flight creating The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) for you, your colleagues, bosses, workplaces, volunteer organizations and anyone and anyplace that is struggling with "re-entry anxiety" and uncertainty about how to return.

You can download a copy of this short ebook here. (e-pamphlet? e-whitepaper? e-essay? How many pages make something an ebook anyway? I digress.)

Please pass the link around to your friends and colleagues. They will also find the link to The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) on my website at thecorporaterebel.com

I hope this helps.

Conflict Coming Soon To a Workplace Near You

Time to read: 1.57 minutes.

Wonderful Rebels!

My clients are talking about returning to the office. Many of my clients are responsible for planning the return or leading teams through this change. I'm hearing things like...

"Our CEO thinks we can simply welcome everyone back to the way it was before."

"I like working from home."

"I don't miss my commute."

"Some people can't wait to come back. Others aren't sure they're ready."

"What about vaccines? Masks?"

"I'm not sure my company is returning to a physical office."

"We all met up for coffee, and it was exhausting to interact with so many people for an hour."

It's a delusion to think we can simply "go back to the way it was." There is no "going back." And there is no "way it was" after the chaos, confusion and upheaval we've lived through. We've each had distinct experiences of the past year. Some people came through pretty smoothly. Others are still suffering the mental, physical and economic effects.

Regardless of the details of your personal situation, you are changed. Workplaces are changed. What we need going forward has changed.

So what do you do?

This is the point when I write a list. (Fun fact: My high school friend, Christy, found a box of notes I had written her our sophomore year. My notes were full of bullet pointed lists, even then. I'm consistent.)

1. Be in transition. Acknowledge that returning to the office and figuring out what to do now is a big transition for everyone involved. Drop any expectation that things will "return to normal" and simply be in transition for as long as it takes.
2. Return consciously. Be transparent about feelings. Be honest about changes in priorities and needs. Intentionally design how your workplace will operate. Create agreements.
3. Anticipate messy. People will mess up. They will have feelings. Things will feel wonky for a while. There will be adjustments as you get used to being back. If you're ready for the messy bits, you can roll with them more easily.
4. Have an intentional plan to handle the wonkiness together with compassion, grace and good humor.

In the absence of consciousness and intention, you get conflict. People's assumptions and differing needs will crash into each other. People won't know what to do when tensions flare or they will resort to the good "ole standbys of judgment, blame, gossip and criticism.

Accept the complexity of the coming months. When you do, the process of change will be much easier.

Reach out if you'd like to talk more about creating a smooth return to the office. I'm here to help. (And I always love to hear from you.)

I Lost My Email. Guess What Happened?

Time to read: 15 seconds. Still time to join Rebooting U: 2 seconds

I got a new computer (battery died on old one, blah, blah, blah) and in the transfer of data, my email went insane (that's the technical term) and deleted archived emails.

How many? Don't know.

From whom? Have no idea.

At first I freaked out. I save all those emails for a reason - to reply to people later, as reminders to do something, or to remember something funny or important. I begged my husband tech support team to find and restore what was lost.

Then I realized...

Those emails don't matter.

It's been a few days, and the world still turns. No one has been offended. I have no idea what those emails were about. If they were important, people will email again or I'll remember what I said I'd do. In short: Nothing happened. Losing those emails was a complete non-event.

From this non-event, here are two lessons for you:

1. You think things matter that actually don't. The pandemic taught us that lesson in spades.
2. You can trust yourself to keep track of what's important. The pandemic taught us that lesson, too.

So, consider one thing you think is important that actually isn't. Remove it. It was liberating to have only 5 emails in my inbox for a few hours.

I hope this helps.

Awkward transition...

The second class for Rebooting U is tomorrow at 11:00 CT. You can still join us. Sign up and I'll send you the recording of the first class about Recover: Your Brain on Stress. You can get more information and sign up here.

If you're in the US, have a great holiday weekend.

Take This Quiz to Help You Get Back On Track

Time to take the quiz: 15 seconds. Time to read: 1.5 minutes. Time to refine your life: forever

Hey Corporate Rebels!

Before you read further, please take this quiz. Answer yes/no. Consider how you spend most of your time.

Do you feel well used at the end of the day? (This question considers a sense of purpose.)

Do you spend your day on things that are important to you? (This question highlights values and priorities.)

Do you spend your time with people who matter to you? (This question points to balance and connection.)

Do you enjoy yourself? (This question considers energy.)

Hold on to your answers for a second.

In the past few weeks, I have talked with professionals across industries and age-groups, from young scientists to seasoned real estate mavens to recent college graduates. In a word, people are restless. The past year stripped away most things (dating, sports, travel) and left many people with work, laundry, homeschooling, and if you were lucky, roommates you like.

When life was reduced to work and Netflix, many people starting asking, is this enough? When you just spent a year staring your mortality in the face, is this how you want to spend the next 10-20-50 years?

Most of you are probably not planning to quit your job and head out on the open road (although I have talked to quite a few in all age groups who are doing some version of that).

Some well timed and considered refinements will bring your work and life back into alignment with what you want.

Now back to the quiz.

If you answered yes to all four questions, awesome. You have crafted work and life on your terms.

If you answered no to any of the questions or if the questions made you wonder, consider what it would take to bring your work and life back on your terms. What can you refine? What can you ask for? What do you want to change?

Here are some ideas to start your thinking:

• fire up an old hobby
• ask to go part-time
• ask for summer hours (Fridays off?)
• teach a class
• be home for bedtime every night
• rest
• quit your job and head out on the open road

My partner, Anne and I are doing a free 4-session live event in May, June and July to help you recover from the past year and get your work and life realigned with where you are now. The Corporate Rebel Rebooting U: Recover, Refresh, Re-emerge starts May 21. You can get more information and sign up here.

Please join us!

Love to you!

Want a Sublime Theater Experience?

Time to read: 20 seconds. Time to sign up for a sublime theater experience: 1 minute

I'm working out of town this week and barely have internet so I am going to make this short and sweet.

My husband has a gift for finding amazing culture and pop culture events, especially in the arts. I'm sharing one with you today that created a deeply moving and sublime experience. He, I and our 17 year old each did it.

It's hard to describe. It's just you, another person and an electronic voice on the phone. You follow the prompts. You don't know who or where the other person is. It was safe. Intimate. In a word, amazing.

In a year where we have been socially isolated, feeling connected to humanity is a gift. It's $10 and takes one hour. It's worth it, even if you feel a little nervous or uncertain. (I did). That's part of the point.

Sign up for A Thousand Ways here.

If you decide to give it a try, email me and let me know how it was.

It's incredible the creativity inspired by COVID.

Love to you.

How're You Doing?

Time to read: Less than 1 minute.

I was talking to a colleague earlier this week, and she observed that there are, like, 16 crises going on at once. There's pandemic news. International news. The verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Feelings about returning to the office and school. Kids struggling academically. Kids struggling mentally. Then it's not like regular life events stop happening.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could say, "no thanks on the car trouble today. There's a pandemic."

I'm going to keep this short because it's a lot and your brain needs a rest. Here are two thoughts:

1. Have grace for yourself and others. You are carrying a lot. So are they. Be gentle and kind.
2. Take good care of yourself physically. Eat. Sleep. Rest. Walk. In an intense week, go back to the basics.

How are you doing? Feel free to email me. I always love hearing from you.

Love to you.

Feeling Tender About This One

Time to read: 1.5 minutes. The development of understanding? Worth every second

My babies

Many of you know that I'm based in Minnesota. This week, another Black man was shot, and we are in the middle of Derek Chauvin's trial for killing George Floyd. People are sad, angry and fed up. Our city is on edge. So, today I'm writing in that context and honestly, I have to hit send on this newsletter before I lose my nerve.

I want to talk about blind spots.

Last summer, my teenage daughter wanted to attend a protest after the murder of George Floyd. Every parent worries about their children out in the world. And after a week of helicopters over our house, neighbors reporting SUVs with no license plates on our street, and friends who own a hotel describing their Covid-empty rooms suddenly filled with people from out of town, the fear was beyond a regular Saturday night.

An important fact: My daughter is brown.

And this is not a story about her.** This is a story about blind spots and what it takes to create understanding. Ultimately, IMHO, understanding, relationship and love are what will get us out of the mess we're in.

Back to the protest and the fear.

After my girl left the house, I texted a friend of mine who is Black. Our children go to school together.

Here is our text string:

Me: On Tuesday, P went to the Capital to protest with a number of school friends. On her way out the door, I quizzed her on what to do in response to the police (comply), how to make sure her friend group stays together, how to keep her eyes open for danger.

As she walked down the sidewalk, I cannot describe how I felt. Disembodied is the word I'll use. It's like a circuit breaker tripped. I thought of you. I'm embarrassed to say this. I saw for the first time what I imagine mothers of color feel like every single time they let their kids out the door. My fear was in my bones. As a white mom of a brown child, I realized I've been doing everything I can to keep her in a safe bubble until what? She's old enough to handle the world? Until the world changes?

Friend: That is what it feels like to be a black mom, sister, wife EVERYDAY.

Me: In that moment, all I could do was make sure she was as prepared as she could be and let her go, hoping the world will love her as much as I do. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get it.

Friend: I sincerely appreciate your words and your time and your authenticity.

It look a visceral, physical experience for me to finally understand. And, it should have taken a lot less for me to get it. (To be clear, this "should" is not coming from shame or beating myself up. It's coming from ownership and recognition that I can do better.) If we're willing, we can shine a light on our blind spots and one step and one relationship at a time, turn the world into the place we want it to be.

Maya Angelou said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

That's what I've got for this rough week.