Earlier this week, I attended my umpteenth “back-to-school night”. My youngest is in 11th grade, so I’ve been to this rodeo before. I know the drill: Shuffle from classroom to classroom, listen to each teacher speak about curriculum, expectations, aspirations, and their already-wonderful impressions of our kids (while parents share sideways glances wondering if “our” kids are actually in this class). It was all good- I love my son’s school and the evening was rolling along exactly as expected… until I got to his math class.
His math teacher used her precious 10 minutes with us differently. She described the environment she works hard to build in her classroom. She promised a classroom where students will feel safe taking risks, where taking those risks will be celebrated, where making mistakes will be welcomed and recognized as part of learning, where individual strengths will be highlighted, and where accomplishments, no matter how small, will be acknowledged.
As I listened to her, I felt gratitude that my son would be in such a class, and also immediately recognized that she described exactly what each of us wants in our work environment.
So rather than panic after reading another article about “The Great Resignation,” consider whether there are any small changes you can make to your work environment that will help your employees feel what my son and his classmates feel—a genuine investment in their growth and development. You might ask yourself:
- How can I ensure that my team feels safe taking risks and pushing the envelope?
- When they make a misstep, how can I help them see it as part of learning and innovating?
- Are they working primarily on projects that align with their strengths, and if not, how might I change that balance?
- How can I ensure that individual and team wins are celebrated before quickly moving on to the next project?
These small adjustments can significantly improve the day-to-day experience and counter many of the stressors that contribute to burnout. And while it’s doubtful that few of us would willingly take 11th-grade math again, I’m very confident that all of us want a work environment just like my son’s math class.