I have always associated September with the start of a new year, perhaps stemming from the childhood condition when the school year would actually begin after Labor Day. Although this is rarely the case in the United States anymore, September still represents an opportunity to reset, start again. One of the easiest ways to commit and follow through with new goals is to change old perspectives, look at your situation through a new lens. And unlike that fancy gym membership, its completely free.
It is easy to get stuck in old thought patterns, especially about work. Listen to how people respond when you walk up to them at work and ask them how they are doing. Do they say “Surviving” or “Another day, another dollar” or “Same shit, different day”? Or do they exclaim “Living the dream!”, like RN Jorge enthusiastically said every time I spoke to him during the years we worked together. Was he living the dream? Perhaps. But even if there were days that were not so dreamy, Jorge’s mindset is a powerful reminder how important it is to find positive feelings about our work lives and recognize the remarkable contributions we make every day.
As leaders, do we inspire our employees to see the magic in what they do everyday, the infinite ways they make the world a better place, help them remember why they aspired to this profession in the first place?
In the last episode of Hulu's The Bear, Season 3, chefs and restauranteurs are seated around a table, sharing a meal. No spoilers here, but suffice to say the atmosphere is rich with deep conversation and emotion. The scene has actors and real-life restaurant legends alike sharing what brought them to food, to this unforgiving business; what drives them day-in, day-out to continue with what can almost certainly be considered a grind. In this beautiful, heartfelt scene, Will Guidara, award-winning restauranteur and author of Unreasonable Hospitality references restaurant work of any kind: “There is nobility in this [work]. We get to help people celebrate some of the most important moments in their life. We can give them the grace, if only for a few hours, to forget their most difficult moments. We can make the world a nicer place. All of us. In this room. We have this opportunity, perhaps even the responsibility, to create our own little magical worlds in a world that is increasingly in need of a little more magic. Every time I find myself about to burn out, I reconnect with the fact that that is the business we are in.”
You are not a restaurant employee: you are an agent for care and kindness.
My friend Jennifer is a real estate agent who isn't just selling a house—she is helping to build a life, creating a sense of belonging, and ensuring that their clients feel supported throughout what can be an overwhelming process. This level of care and commitment can make a lasting difference, turning what could be a transactional relationship into one of trust and gratitude. You are not a real estate agent: You are a community-builder.
During interviews when hiring phlebotomists at the American Red Cross, I would frame this employment opportunity as the irreplaceable conduit between volunteer blood donors eager to make a difference, and a patent in critical need. We get to facilitate this inspiring and lifesaving act Every. Single. Day.
You are not a phlebotomist: You are a superhero.
As leaders, how can we pull on the noble threads of what we do every day so they are visible; so we can see the honor, the goodness, the beauty in what we do for a living, and help others see it for themselves as well? How can we help those around us root out their own brand of magic to re-energize how they see their organization and themselves? When we shift our mindset from what we ‘have” to do as it relates to our employment, to what we “get” to do, it changes everything. It is no longer a heavy lift: It is a privilege.
Great post Pat! I agree, a perspective shift will move us from stuck to expansion and possibility. So good!