I once came across a concept that left a profound impression on me – the idea that as a manager, your mood can be contagious among your team. For instance, if you’re stressed about managing the workload, and your words and demeanor exude anxiety, your team is likely to absorb that same tension. Essentially, your energy influences those around you, making them sense the weight of their tasks, even if it doesn’t actually exist.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to visit a small office housing around 80 individuals, all coexisting on a shared floor without clear demarcation. People from the same team occupied the same area though.
Before meeting the person in charge of this office, one glaring observation caught my attention. The environment was dimly lit, lacking the adequate illumination necessary for productive work. What’s more, the space seemed devoid of creativity, devoid of any visual representation of the company’s vision or narrative. There was no mention of achievements, large or small, and a distinct lack of artistic expression adorned the walls and surroundings. It left me with an unsettling feeling.
My first encounter with the manager was equally unassuming. A simple-looking individual, he bore no extravagant accessories or flashy attire – the most remarkable thing about him was his name. Throughout our conversation, he appeared somewhat disorganized, frequently checking his laptop for messages or other distractions.
He even apologized for a technical issue in the room. While I was speaking, he seemed preoccupied, only fully engaging when I posed questions about himself. Unfortunately, the meeting failed to provide any substantial insight into his personality. I found it challenging to gauge anything from his appearance, and his spoken words offered little, leaving me to rely on his actions. It became apparent that he struggled to consistently express his core identity unless the subject matter piqued his interest.
In a similar vein, the office space itself remained elusive in terms of its purpose and the collective activities of its occupants. Details were either absent or poorly communicated, leaving me with more questions than answers. I want to underscore the idea that the workspace has the potential to mirror the personality of the person responsible for it.
In conclusion, the room, and by extension, the work environment, failed to convey any discernible cultural identity, like their manager.
And in contrast, when I visit my current office, EXL, I see messages all around about what we do – make sense of data, deliver value through data analysis, our priority for customer data security, focus on ethics, and so on. The same is reflected in the words of the leadership as well.
#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #MoodInfluence #WorkplaceObservations