Become More

In my last column, I talked about the passing of my dear dog, Rafaelle (Raffi). I shared the significant loss I have experienced, but also the great impact he had on my life. Your overwhelmingly compassionate response is something I will always cherish and appreciate.

Resonating with readers

In reflecting on the column these past weeks, I realize that what resonates with readers (and me) is our ability to be inspired and transformed by our dogs who give to us so unconditionally and selflessly. And, how their role model, when we learn from them, can help us humans “become more” in ways that make us better people, at home and work. And, if this is what dogs can do, imagine what people can be and do for each other.

It also occurred to me how relevant this message is today, when so many of us have experienced our own losses. Certainly the pandemic may have created losses — the loss of a workplace community, the loss of job or job security, for examples — but life these days is constantly creating remarkable losses that may not have been part of our experience and very strongly impact us: Illness related to our mental and physical health, death of family and friends, political polarization that extinguishes once-close relationships and economic situations that result in having or doing less.

What it very clearly says to me is that more than ever, we need to be good to and for one another. Because I am keenly aware of the responsibility that comes with the voice I am afforded in this column, I feel compelled to focus more on exploring and discussing the many ways we can “become more” at work so that we can be a source of inspiration and transformation. And, for the many of you who already are, I want to share that so all of us can “become more,” just like Raffi did for me!

Becoming more

To “become more” we need to look at who we are and what we do at work that is admired, respected, appreciated or makes us proud. I add the notion of pride because sometimes the good we bring to work is not valued or acknowledged. That’s okay (but not great) as long as we acknowledge it to ourselves. To do that is empowering and helps us create and sustain good habits. All the qualities I talked about last month — empathetic, accepting, authentic, kind, patient, etc. — are what we want to “become more.” None of us is starting at zero; we’re continuing to develop the good we already possess and share at work. And, sure, we want to add to the good, but we already bring so much that inspires and transforms. This leads us to these two notions.

Inspiration and transformation

Also, daunting but they don’t have to be. Too often we think we have to be a Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist and 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner to be inspiring, or a Martin Luther King Jr., whose leadership transformed racial inequality into the Civil Rights Movement. They are certainly stellar exemplars of inspiration and transformation.

So, too, is the coworker who stays late to help you meet a deadline; the customer service rep who listens to your complaint about their product’s defect and acknowledges your frustration; the boss who asks how you’re doing and really wants to know. Their ways of being inspire and transform, albeit with fewer eyes to see but no less impactful

These examples demonstrate that at their most basic, they are easy to achieve. I see them like this:  To inspire — the emotional engagement that makes us want to do or be something more; to transform — to change for the long-term a way of being or doing. Being a team player can be inspiring; working together on a team towards a shared vision can be transforming.

The capacity for us every-day-workers to inspire and transform is limitless. But, before we can harness that capacity we need to “become more.”  And, that can only happen when workplaces nurture “more” and coworkers practice “more.” We need to surround ourselves with both.

If you know and want to share the stories of people who inspire you or transform your workplace or community organization in whatever way, small or grand, let me know by emailing:  Santo@ThePracticalProf.com — put “Becoming More” in the subject line to avoid spam filters. To encourage more participation, if you prefer, you can be anonymous with your identity and/or theirs if your story is included in an upcoming column.

Together, let’s “become more”!

Next Column:  Becoming More…Patient

Dr. Santo D. Marabella, The Practical Prof, is a professor emeritus of management at Moravian University and hosts the podcast “Office Hours with The Practical Prof … and Friends.” His latest book, “The Lessons of Caring” is written to inspire and support caregivers (available in paperback and eBook). Website: ThePracticalProf.com; Twitter: @PracticalProf; Facebook: ThePracticalPro