Words speak loudly

I’m a writer so I’m biased, but words matter. I know, I know, body language, actions, pictures and all that. But sometimes, in Corporate America, our words give us away. I posted about this a week or two ago:

The words we use when we talk about employees and what they need to deal with gives away the belief in Corporate America that employees have to take on the burden of what the C-Suite has created. Where is the accountability?

These phrases tell employees that managers are not here to support them and that in fact it’s the other way around.

My question to Corporate America is: if we are not guiding employees, coaching them, and helping them navigate how to succeed when resources and time are scares, then what are we doing as managers?

This is not a rhetorical question. I think it’s at the root of why work is so difficult, so draining, so stressful to so many employees these days. And my answer is that if managers are not doing these things, they are most likely: micromanaging, managing up to their own bosses, trying to navigate executive turf wars and egos, desperately trying to get budgets approved for more people because they’re understaffed.

I’m not excusing passing these issues down to non-managing employees, but I’m calling out what I think absolutely needs to change in Corporate America. If you agree, I’d love to have you sign up for my newsletter right here.