Hugs have recently been the subject of negative press but I’ve been reminded of the need for compassion in the workplace.
A client has been having issues with the attitude of a team member and we had a conversation where we tried to think about what the root cause might be. The client spoke to the person and asked them what was going on and the fact that they were worried about them. This led to an outpouring of emotion and the team member has gone to their GP to get help for their depression. It’s a small step towards setting that person on the road to recovery.
If all owners were this compassionate about their teams, I genuinely think it would make work a better place to be. I’m not advocating the ‘enforced hugs’ that have hit the news so trust your instincts about whether someone needs a real or metaphorical hug. Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond the negative behaviour to try and understand why that person seems to have changed. It also makes me realise how much I love what I do.
