Read. Be inspired. Go love.
Is it really possible to create a way of working based on love not fear? Yes. It’s not only possible. It’s essential. Learn more from this collection of more than 100 posts to inspire and guide you.
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It starts as children
I love poetry. I love it when a handful of words chosen and assembled “just so” say what it might take pages or hours to say otherwise, if ever. A few lines of poetry can make all things clear in an instant, or can join us as humans around universal understanding, or can challenge all that I thought was real, in moments. I love that.
I am a public servant
Sometimes the truth is that we are thrilled. We are delighted by our work and grateful for the privilege of contributing. We can’t wait to get to work each day. We love the challenges we face, the service we offer, the skills we learn, the way we express ourselves to the world in our work.
Do I have to say “love”?
Organizations and teams choose the words that resonate for them. Sometimes that word is “love” and sometimes it is a synonym like care, trust, respect, belonging, inclusion, empathy, compassion, or forgiveness, but always it is more human.
Everywhere I go: in a café at work
When I was consulting to the US Army, I worked under a wonderful General. He was a humble, wise leader who treated people well. Even though I was just a contractor, he demonstrated that he valued me and my work. He gave me support, opportunities to grow, and recognition when I did well. Shortly after I left, he deployed to Afghanistan.
The power of intrinsic motivation
Why do you work? What’s your motivation? Many people work in environments that are dominated by the “carrot and stick” approach of extrinsic motivation: do well and you’ll get a reward; do poorly and you’ll get punished.
Listening from the heart
It’s hard to concentrate on writing tonight. You see, I’m excited…and nervous. Tomorrow morning more than eighty public servants are gathering from all over government to explore empathy and diversity at the June Human Workplace Meet Up in Olympia.
Something’s happening
But we flourish when we are loved at work. We feel loved when we know our leaders care about us. We feel loved when our teams are like families and when we are supported during hard times. Every one of us. And then we do and give our best to our team and to our customers.
When I say the "L" word
When people ask what I do, I tell them it’s my job to talk about the “L” word at work, to foster cultures that are comfortable with The “L” Word. My work is especially to bring The “L” Word to public service and to help government organizations craft cultures with The “L” Word at their core.
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