This week, at work, in the world

This is a cross-post from my Red Currant Collective email list, so please disregard if you receive a duplicate.

If you are a leader who doesn't know what to say today, I'm going to share the message I started our week with here among my team.

I'm learning in public here, and I know other leaders are doing the same, hour by hour, so if this helps anyone else find the words they need today or this week, it's worth sharing.

Your team composition and situation may be different, and your message may be different. And this is not a time for leaders to remain silent.

Our context is: between my team and our clients we're a highly diverse, global gathering of humans who do high-stakes, high-consequence work in (mostly large) corporate environments. We work with senior-most leaders and their teams around the world and across every political boundary there is, so there is no one worldview among our people.

Here’s what I chose to communicate this morning.

“With everything going on in the world, cognitive and emotional overhead may be really high this week for us, and for our clients and people (whether they're / we're tuned in closely to what's happening around the world or not).

I -- for example -- feel physically exhausted. I can't tell you how many times I just fell asleep this weekend, and this week I WILL be giving in to my need for sleep when it arises.

Please take care of you first (always, but especially with the added stress and anxiety of the injustices happening in Ukraine AND the inequity that the world's reaction to Ukraine brings to the surface).

We each sit at different intersections of it all, and this is a time when many conflicting things may be true for each of us, and that's a lot to navigate from a cognitive and emotional standpoint.

This will be a very high "grace" phase here. Yes, we have work to do, and, we can only do that work if we take care of ourselves, our needs, and our people. Work when work is a helpful distraction or satisfying activity. Rest and take care when you need to: let's exercise our communication skills to keep each other informed, but no explanation is necessary if you do need to step away. Let's keep open lines of communication about the status of our "balls" right now: It is OK to let "rubber" balls drop right now (with communication), and if any "glass" balls are at risk, please speak up and we'll work out coverage as a team.

Please let me know if you have needs as we navigate this week, and thank you for being a part of this team. Your work, when you're at your best, is sincerely appreciated; and your presence here when you're (and we're) not at your (our) best is equally appreciated and valued.

Speak up if you have concerns, questions, or needs, as always.

Thank you and take care."

There’s no call to action today, no tidy ask. Just please take care. I know the folks on this list: I know you are finding the helpers, and doing what you can to support relief efforts. I know you’re focused on your teams and on keep the glass balls from dropping.

Please also make sure you’re taking care of yourself as best you can right now.