Office Space: Does It Love You Back?

Lately, I've had several clients mention how much they love their job. They dedicate so much time and energy to doing a good job. Striving to create high-quality work and to be an exceptional colleague.

These same clients are often trying to navigate incredibly disrespectful workplaces. Places full of contentious conversations, inappropriate rhetoric, and petty disagreements. To which I must respond: Does your work love you back?

You can work on embodying your voice. You can improve your articulation, communication, and command. It is even possible to learn to impact the humanity in others as you speak. What you cannot do is move the biases of someone determined to hold them tight.

In these cases you have choices.

• Determine whether it can be changed. This is easier in some companies than others but if there is some support structure perhaps you can get relief there.
• Decide if you are better off elsewhere. Job hunting is hard and most don't the process, Still, sometimes this is the best route. Importantly, you need to ask better questions about company culture as you seek a new spot or you could find yourself in the same boat.
• Design better armor for where you are. If you are in the job of your life, you don't have to let bad actors run you off the road. In this case, you may need to armor up until they either tire of failed attacks or ideally move on themselves. This doesn't mean closing yourself off but rather figuring out how to be fully yourself without letting the naysayers knock you down.

All of these things are communications challenges for sure. But, like all communication, they come from intentions and decisions made before you make a sound.

The invitation today is to look at your work surroundings and assess them. Whatever you see, your intentions and decisions about it all should be your first consideration. You will be happier in the end, if you are consciously choosing your path.