Keep Showing Up For the Hard Stuff

Many years ago, I was managing a group of new hires. There was a young woman (we'll call Sue) who consistently fell asleep in class. It was easy to write the story that Sue didn't care about her job or her training; didn't care about her image. One day I pulled her aside. "Sue, you can't keep falling asleep in class. Talk to me about what is going on and what we can do to help you stay engaged." Sue shared that at 19, she was the primary breadwinner in her family, making minimum wage, sleeping on an old couch because all of the beds at her house were taken... she was caring for her sick mother and wasn't getting enough to eat, all of which made it hard to stay awake. My heart broke. I was so glad I asked. We could work with that... get her connected to EAP, and find some relief for her. Most of us have been, at one point or another, both the leader who needed someone to perform, and the human who needed a little extra grace for a moment or two. Dare to ask the hard questions, to step into the real, often delicate, conversations where the outcomes aren't guaranteed. Your courage, compassion, and vulnerability will make you a better leader than any management book ever could. Keep showing up for the hard stuff.