“Greatest generation’s lesson: in times of crises, everyone has a part to play. You can not just live your life for you. You are a part of a whole. You are part of a community and you must do your part.”  Max Brooks in interviewing his father, Mel

“What I want to be, just what I want to be, I don’t know you, but I’m just what I want to be.” ~Meghan Trainor, Mark Williams, Onika Tanya Maraj, Raul Cubina, Scott Harris

How can you be consistently authentic and true to your values? It depends on what is important to you. One of the things I admire so much about Millennials and Gen Z’s is their devotion to fairness and inclusivity. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy working with them. According to Inc. magazine’s Winter 2018/2019, a survey done by MUSE of 155 Millennial bosses, their top priorities are humanist in nature. They include “creating positive work cultures, forging strong relationships in person and caring for the whole person, not just the worker.” These are kind, caring and inclusive visions for their workplaces. And seem to strike a chord in many young professionals regardless if they own a business or are an employee.

Do these translate to non-work or personal life situations? If you are being genuine when you speak of those beliefs and those are truly your heartfelt standards for living, they would. If the quoted words above spoke to you, in your personal life you would be concerned with building relationships with all kinds of people and using your resources and assets to make others feel comfortable and supported.

For instance, in our current circumstances, your actions would match your beliefs.  You would be practicing safe distancing, and wearing covering over your nose and mouth when you are outside your home.  Gloves would cover your fingers. Gratitude would be naturally expressed for each essential worker you meet: grocery worker, delivery person, maintenance manager, home health care specialist, police or firefighter, doctor, nurse or aide.  If you are ill with symptoms of the virus, you would self-quarantine. This is consistent with caring for the whole individual and maintaining a positive community.

Your actions would model what you would like to see from the people around you. If you were susceptible to the virus because of underlying symptoms, one of many volunteers manning soup kitchens or making deliveries to neighbors, or one of the essential workers, you would want the same from those around you. Honoring you.

In our moments of thoughtfulness during shelter-in-place, it’s a great time to consider what matters to you, who matters to you, and are you being true to yourself. If inclusion and care are high on your agenda, are you actually able to keep to those elevated principles and celebrate them? Or is it time to define new values and set a new agenda?

Have you recently considered working on your leadership skills? And bringing more organization, balance and equity to your life and within your team?  If you’d like to create a training and development plan for you that offers increased productivity, more satisfied team members and increased retention, let’s talk. Contact me at Susan@SusanGoldbergLeadership.com