Leading with empty calendars...

Is that even possible?
I didn't know the answer to that question so far but 2020 has proven me that it is possible and let me tell you how.

We can't talk this in a tweet isn't it ? so let's

I will be honest, i didn't like the term mental wellness. I brushed it away saying that is for bozos and not for a strong and a committed bunch like us.

Life had its own ways to prove me wrong. It was Oct 2019. All hell broke loose in the team!

We had everything but....

We reached a place where we didn't want to work any more. The burn out was so apparent on us. There was a mental wellness emergency in the team and as someone with a little grey hair, I didn't know how to help or what to do other than saying take a break and get better. BS huh

If a problem started because of the work environment, the solution must also start from the work environment. We can't break people and say take a break and get better. That is not leadership.

That particular incident broke me inside and I was wondering what are we missing.

My recovery from past mistakes started there.

Passion is infectious but is also stupid.
It doesn't understand the pain it causes.

I was blinded by passion and I was obsessed with problem solving. I never slept enough, ate right but i was very happy with good projects WTF.

This time it was emergency and we had to do something about everything we are doing at work. When our best people break, it is time to stop everything and care for them.

As step one, I told all clients we are not available for next 12 months. My team was wondering if i lost

As a small team sustainability is also a question but we decided to care about most important things first.
We can make money when we are ready but we can't make wellness whenever we want.
It is ok to be poor than sick.

As step two we re-looked at all work at hand closely.

As step three we asked what we want to do for next decade.
If this is not exciting we must close down today and do something worthwhile with life. It was drastic but needed.

100 days passed by and things were getting slowly better but just recovery from mistakes took time.

We asked what will keep us happy and kicking and if that is the center of our world, how will we do business differently?

That was a powerful question to ask.

Joy at the center and everything else in concentric circles

We had to redesign the whole business model. We looked at our competencies, resources and longings (aspirations).

We decided to make opportunities and not pick from what i existing. The path was picked by our purpose and not the other way.

We understood what we enjoy and what we don't.
We realised what is undesirable that must be made desirable.
We loved building and that is what we cherish.

One of the solution was empty calendars.
So why bother do other things when we can build all day

It was time Covid was hitting India and by then we were ready to harness our joy at the center. So it was a perfect timing to continue exploration in the new direction.

Took bold steps to downsize the teams (ensuring everyone we let go found right and better jobs)

We let go of the office space and other burdens around it.

one by one, past mistakes were tackled. It took some time for healing but it was worth the priority for the mental wellness.

As a team we are so much better. Still there is some more healing left but on the right path.

It is not about empty calendars. It is about what are we willing to sacrifice to own our lives and the purpose behind it. Now we do only what we love.

Build Products
Build Community
Build Courses
Build Makers
Build Business

It is 11 months now. What a journey!

If we focus on our people and their wellbeing, looks like happy businesses can be built.

We could say NO to so many things.
We could do what we love all day.

Breaking is not bad.
Staying broken is bad.

Empty calendars helped healing and staying sane amidst everything