You Don't Need "Pandemic Permission"

Time to read: 1.36 minutes

During a recent group workshop, a leader worried about all the things she'll feel obligated to do as things open up. She observed, "the pandemic gave me a good excuse to say no to lots of things."

Try on a few examples:

• You could say no to online cocktails with that group of friends, because you were "all Zoomed out."
• You could decide not to attend the expensive and far-away family vacation you don't enjoy much anyway because you're "not ready to travel yet."
• You could skip the online after hours work happy hour, because your kids "need help with online school."
• You could have a holiday with just your family because "it didn't feel safe yet" to host other people.

Of course, safety and exhaustion were real. And, if you make an honest assessment, you made time for the people and activities you care about the most. You just didn't make space for all the people and activities you did pre-pandemic.

Here's the truth: You don't need the cover of the pandemic to say no to those friends or that vacation or after hours happy hour. You can simply say no.

I recommended to the leader that she consider giving up obligation as a pandemic gift to herself.

Of course, you sometimes have to visit people you don't want to visit and do things you don't want to do. Instead of dragging yourself through those things with resentment and resistance, anchor yourself to your values (like love, connection, family) and keep those in mind as you delight in coffee with a boring relative.

And, be honest with yourself. If you avoided it or them during the pandemic and those activities and relationships don't nourish you now, let them go.

Drop obligation. Obligation is sooo 2019.

Making decisions about how to smoothly and effectively return to life and work is daunting. Make the process easier by downloading your free copy of The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work).

I hope this helps.

On My Soapbox: What's Going On with Employment?

Time to read: This is a long one. Maybe 2 minutes? I'm on my soapbox after a conversation with some clients.

I nerd out on employment data. I'm not so interested in numbers like unemployment rates, but rather I love to hear what's going on for people in the workplace - what they're thinking, what they care about, and how trends change over time.

Right now, I'm seeing help wanted signs everywhere. Friends report they are having trouble hiring for all kinds of jobs, including things like paralegals, servers, and carpet cleaners. Clients are pissed because their CEOs announced everyone will return to the office in September, no ifs, ands, or buts. The tide is turning, and power is shifting to employees. (If you want to nerd out, too, read this article in the New York Times.)

What is happening and what does this mean for you?

• Demographic and employment trends have been shifting for years. Even before the pandemic, record low unemployment meant that employers had to make workplaces more attractive and competitive.
• Post-pandemic, we're seeing a surge in demand as people make up for lost time (eat out! buy clothes!) and supply chains are a wreck. (Have you noticed that there is no food in the case at Starbucks?)
• Many people used the pandemic for professional development. Online classes. Training. Career changes. They now have options beyond restaurant work.
• Some people saw how vulnerable and expendable they were when the s@*&% hit the fan. They found themselves laid off with no options. Others had to continue to work in unsafe environments for fear of losing their livelihoods. They are pushing back.
• I've heard a lot of people wondering if they still want to be on the path they are on after 15 months of staring their mortality in the face.
• The pandemic exposed the weaknesses in our systems around childcare, other kinds of caregiving, wages, and forced many people (mostly women) to choose between work and kids.

The bottom line: People realized the value of their labor. They realized they are not expendable and deserve an equal energy exchange (money, respect, benefits) for their time and effort.

What does this mean for you?

As an employee, this is a great time to negotiate! What do you want? More flexibility? Work from home? A part time schedule? A pay raise? Training? A career change? A new city?

As an employer or manager, you have a unique opportunity to demonstrate how much you value your employees, what they mean to your organization and show that value by getting creative about what work will look like now. If you think it's just about money and bonuses, think again. Consider training. Growth opportunities. Flexibility.

These issues are complicated and experts do and will disagree. I'm an optimist. These changes are exciting, both for employees who will be valued and fairly compensated for their labor and employers who are ready to create the workplace of the future.

The Corporate Rebel Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) is chock full of guidance on returning smoothly and effectively. Download your free ebook here.

Please email me and let me know what you think and what you're seeing. I always love to hear from you.

Be well.

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.