I woke up this morning and as I settled into my chair, cup of coffee in hand, I realized that I could not see my back yard through the fog. It was moments before daybreak and I could see the thick fog settled into the woods like a warm wool blanket pulled up tight under your chin on a cold winter night. It struck me because it is unusual for that to happen where my house is. But, the conditions were just right so that I could not see the large oaks a mere ten yards from my window.
I know they are there. They are always there. I wondered if the fog didn’t lift and remained for days on end, would I ever forget that the trees are there. No, I wouldn’t. I know that just because I can’t see something anymore, it doesn’t mean that it does not exist. And, as the sun rose and the rays of light became brighter, it sliced through the fog and the truth of the trees became evident.
We don’t always follow the logic at work though. Sometimes, we think “out of sight, out of mind”. Have you ever:
- had an employee who works remotely that you don’t always remember to connect with, coach, or mentor
- been an employee who works remotely and you don’t keep the team at the home office informed about your work
- had an employee with a performance issue that you continue to turn a blind eye to in hopes that it goes away
- known of someone with a problem (health, addiction, anger, etc) and didn’t refer them to EAP resources
There are times when we let the fog settle so thickly around us that the right thing does not get done. Why? Because it is WORK to be that ray of light that can address the needs of an employee or of yourself. Waiting or ignoring performance issues or workplace issues will not make it better. YOU must OWN it.
