Defining moments in life full#

I know leaders who schedule calls ahead of time during vacation because they do not view the time as sacred.Īs noted above with weekend work in Moment Two, this may be your preference. In this new hybrid world, expectations are sky-high that people can dial in, plug in and Zoom from anywhere, everywhere and at any time.

Defining moments in life full#

Unfortunately, leaders are treating their own PTO so casually that in some cases it might as well be a full working day. Harvard Business Review summed it up with the title of a recent article, “Stressed, Sad and Anxious: A Snapshot of the Global Workforce. This way, he can work how he likes and avoid causing unnecessary disruptions for his team. He took that feedback in stride and now uses his email program to hold messages in his outbox until Monday morning. But the message from his team was: “If you send it on a Saturday, I’m going to read it because of your role as our leader.” He was sending an email to others because the timing was convenient for him. One leader I work with was shocked when he received feedback that his weekend emails were disruptive. Know that once you engage in communication with your teammates about it, in email, text or internal messaging, you are now creating an expectation that someone will review and even respond during off hours. That’s completely up to you and your own sense of work-life harmony. Some leaders revel in the quiet of the weekend and like to use it to catch up on emails or reports they couldn’t get to.

Whether it’s the weekend or otherwise, know that any non-urgent or prearranged work action you take on those days sends a clear message to your people: I’m always working, and you should be, too. Moment Two: Weekend Or Off-Hours Activityĭepending on your industry and position, there are off days. People will remember when you are present as opposed to going through the motions. The most important part of this exchange is asking the question back and listening fully to the response. For example, on a tough day: “Been an interesting week for me, but I see a few things that might change the dynamic soon.” One leader I know decided to aim for a mix of candor and optimism. They notice your sense of honesty, how long the response is and whether you have an interest in them. How you respond will be viewed as a template for others. I advise leaders to think just as much about the receiver.