Category: a slice of INSIGHT

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

Why Brands Need to Select the RIGHT influencers

Posted on by Red Slice

Recently, my beloved Peloton announced a partnership with a very high-profile influencer. And it has me annoyed, disappointed, and a bit perplexed from a brand strategy perspective.

 And clearly, I was not the only one.

Peloton has been in the news lately for its financial woes. Its revenues have tumbled and experts are forecasting the end of the brand that surged during the pandemic. As gyms open again, cheaper competitors emerge, and folks find alternate ways of getting their fitness itch scratched, Peloton kind of had nowhere to go but down.

I, for one, adore the brand and everything it has to offer. So, yeah, I’m biased. Peloton not only got me through the pandemic lockdown, but I have come to view my favorite instructors (Cody, Christine, Jess King, and my newest love, Robin Arzón) as family. Oh, that crazy Cody! What will he be gossiping about today?!

Brands are powerful when they tell a compelling and genuine story. Peloton made its name by standing for inner strength and beauty. By showing us that no matter where we are on our fitness journey, we can achieve. We can find comfort in community. We can love ourselves, no matter our size. And fitness is available to all. Peloton focused on strength and loving yourself for who you are and where you are, no matter what. 

And then they partnered with Kim Kardashian.

Now, I know Kim is an acquired taste. And while I admire her business savvy, I loathe the reality show chaos that shows like hers and others have wrought on our society. The shallowness, The consumerism. The distraction from important issues that need serious attention. 

Don’t @me. I appreciate guilty pleasures as much as the next person. But Kim Kardashian represents the absolute antithesis to Peloton’s brand story. She is known for cosmetically altering herself in the name of some societal definition of beauty. Get butt implants! Change your face so you don’t even look like yourself! 

If you’re a Kardashian fan, this is not about hating on Kim. This is about a poor brand alignment decision on the part of Peloton. How can a brand that stands for accepting your inner beauty and strength partner with someone who is a brand synonym for surgical enhancement? It just doesn’t make any sense. And it tarnishes Peloton’s authentic message of loving yourself as you are.

Your brand needs to stick to its values and story when making every decision. That includes deciding on influencer partners. Beware of choosing the right ones! (TWEET THIS!)

Peloton usually hits the mark on its collaborations. And I still love them. I’m just slightly disappointed in them as I would be my 8-year-old when he lies about being on his iPad. Brand lovers of Peloton expect more.

Got thoughts? Please share them with me on Instagram or Twitter.

photocredit: extratv.com

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

What Causes Quiet Quitting?

Posted on by Red Slice

Your employees don’t have a commitment problem. You have a leadership and culture problem. 

Quiet quitting, in case you haven’t heard, means doing exactly what you’re required to do at your job and not a bit more. It’s really just a trending term for disengagement. Folks don’t outright quit but they fail to do more than the bare minimum, and they may or may not be quietly looking for a new gig on the side. And we even see a trend in schools with students who are burned out or overwhelmed.

Some senior leaders (read: Baby Boomers, or even Gen Xers that are my age, I admit) want to blame this on the same old thing they blame everything on: Today’s generation of workers are entitled, lazy, and want the world before they are willing to get any work done.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

When I worked in the corporate world before striking out on my own, I always used to tell my managers that the minute they needed to start worrying about me, was the minute I stopped being squeaky wheel, asking how we could do things differently, or playing devil’s advocate. And it was true. Ask anyone: I worked my a** off and delivered results, but I could be….well,” tenacious” might be a kinder word for it!

I remember the jobs and bosses that completely disempowered me. That never appreciated my contribution, or that robbed me of control over my career destiny. In those jobs, I started shutting up and looking elsewhere.

When employees are engaged and feel they are seen, heard, and valued – when they know their extra efforts have an impact – there is nothing they won’t do for you. 

Here’s the great news: Quiet quitting is not new – it’s just a trending hashtag now. (TWEET THIS!)

And it has never, ever been about the employee’s work ethic or talent. It’s always been about the environment they found themselves in and the people they work for and with. A smart person knows they should not give us their time, energy, or effort in a paid job unless they are receiving something in return. To call quiet quitting “laziness” or entitlement is just laziness and entitlement on the part of a MANAGER who wants to shift the blame.

Lead with empathy, actively listen, reward equitably, honor your people as human beings and proactively create an environment where employees can make a real impact and you will not have to worry about anyone quiet quitting on you. Full stop.

Photo credit: Charles Deluvio

More resources you may love:

Let’s Redefine Kind in Business

3 Leadership and Innovation Lessons from 100 Podcasts

Rebecca Friese on The Empathy Edge Podcast: How to Build a “Good” Culture

Cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™

What Does Empathy Look Like at Work?

Posted on by Maria Ross

We all agree more empathy is a great idea, yes? Companies have grand plans to create inclusive cultures and we as leaders take empathy workshops to strengthen that muscle and boost innovation, collaboration and engagement.

But what does empathy look like at work? Like, in action at work? And how can we avoid slipping into unproductive sympathy when we make those attempts?

When expressing sympathy, for example, you might say something like: “I’m very sorry for what you’re going through.” Empathy, however, sounds more like: “I understand how you’re feeling; please know that you’re not alone.”

Here are three examples of what empathy looks like at work and how it differs from falling into the sympathy trap:

Sympathy Play: “Oh, I feel bad for my colleague in her wheelchair! That’s just awful, poor thing. 

You think you’re being nice, you think you’re being empathetic. Instead, you are making assumptions that your colleague is unhappy and “less than.” Her life may be amazing but you have made all kinds of assumptions. While sympathy might feel good to you, it diminishes who she is and what she can contribute.

More empathetic: Does the site we’re considering for our team meeting have access ramps and elevators? Are our restrooms ADA compliant? Are our tables and desks the right height for her wheelchair to comfortably fit? Empathy is seeing things from her point of view and being proactive. Thinking ahead.

Think ahead and focus on proactive adaptation, not pity, to increase inclusivity and exhibit empathy at work. (TWEET THIS!)

Can we find a new location or change out/adjust our office furniture? Maybe a ropes course is not the best team building idea. Let’s ask her out to lunch and find out how she is able to drive with us – is her car fitted to her needs? Let’s drive with her and ask her or research on our own which cafes are ADA accessible. 

Sympathy Play: “The new hire has autism so let’s be sure to be extra nice to him and not give him too many taxing projects he can’t handle Also, I’m gong to speak v-e-e-e-r-r-y-y-y slowly to him.”

While this new colleague may need some accommodations due to how he best interacts with others, communicates, and learns, assuming he can’t handle his job is insulting and doesn’t help him learn and grow in the role. Stop making assumptions and instead get to know how he best operates. Neurodiverse people often have skills that make them extremely valuable in the workplace as a result of, not in spite of, their neurological or developmental disorders Assuming you need to speak to someone because of your limited knowledge of his reality is also not winning you any charm points. 

More empathetic: Have an honest conversation with your new colleague and get to know him. Share that you know about his neurodiversity and want to support him. Autism is a broad spectrum. Ask him what types of projects he enjoys, and how he best works, learsn, and communicates. Empathy comes when you then adapt appropriately to enable him to be the best version of himself at work.

Sympathy Play: You feel really bad for a new mom returning to work who is feeling flustered, overwhelmed and suffering from a bit of brain fog. But that’s where your support ends.

More empathetic: if you’ve been a new parent, you can say “I understand how you’re feeling right now. You’re not alone so please let me know how I can best support you.”  If you’ve never had kids, you can try to put yourself in her shoes and  say, “I can imagine what you’re going through right now. I’m here to listen if you need to talk. You’re not alone.” Save your judgment and pity and reach out to take action instead!

When you notice the subtle shift from sympathy to empathy, that’s when you can truly create an inclusive culture that welcomes all types of people and helps them bring their best selves to work every day.

Here’s a great video from a Brene Brown talk that amusingly shows the difference between empathy and sympathy.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash