Heart in your hustle

I believe it is safe to say that we all have had questionable management moments at some point in our career lives.

Whether it is the management that refuses to be on the same level as their employees, or the one that is so money driven they forget what their company mission statement says.

We have all had at least one that made us tilt our head in question.

I have a personal example that involves employee gossip.

Being a player in that game is a slippery slope.

I won’t bore you with every gritty details.

What was a conversation between trusted coworkers became an “every man for himself,” situation.

The proverbial bus was rolling through and I was unknowingly set nicely underneath.  

Afterwards, the entire situation ate at my conscience.

Personally, I have a terrible habit of apologizing in the moment for things I did not need to own and then thinking about it later.

I became unhappy and unsettled with how everything played out and ultimately sought employment elsewhere.

As an employee, it’s easy to feel that things could be handled differently. We always think we know how it could have been done better.

The truth is, we simply cannot assume for others. We are all different people and handle things in various ways.

Right or wrong, sometimes it truly is what it is. I learned and I moved on.

This caused me to ponder what it truly meant to be a good management team member.

Aside from the bad moments that I have witnessed as an employee, there have been amazingly awesome moments that stand out in my mind.

Looking back at these spectacular displays of management excellence has allowed me to see a common thread among them all.

They all displayed heart within their hustle.

They managed to understand and successfully navigate the delicate tightrope between being management and being relatable enough to connect to their employees.

They listened before they spoke, they repeated what they heard, and they involved the employee in decision making.

There weren’t any slamming of fists, ambush meetings, rustling of papers, or random references to their employment status.

There was just a human being talking to another human being with the common courtesy of respect, empathy, and attention.

There was, “I understand”.

There was, “What I am hearing is this”.

There was great care taken in avoiding sharp edged words.

It just seemed that although something important was taking place, it was done with great care for the overall good of the group.

Common Courtesy

Respect

Empathy

Those three little details end up being impactful when used in situations that otherwise could cause an employee stress, hardship, and discontentment.

I encourage you to print this small list of three words out and keep it handy for the next time that you need to confront a situation.

Remember, what is perceived is not always reality.

You may feel something immediately, but you are responsible for how you speak to others and react to situations.

Take a moment.

Breathe. Reflect.

You need to grace yourself and others with the ability to listen, understand, and respond.

That grace is an important foundation of leadership.

I truly believe that’s how you lead with purpose and that’s how you hustle with heart.