Coming Out of Our Shells

This week, I shared with several clients my observation that right now people are like papier-mâché eggs. While this concept does reflect my obsession with coloring Easter eggs, it was meant to be metaphorical. As I make my way through each day’s conversations, I see that we — which does include me — have accumulated layer upon layer of stress during this past year. Though many with whom I am speaking have been remarkable in their leadership, that doesn’t mean they didn’t experience the stress of the events. The layers are subtle. One layer doesn’t really slow us down but as layers grow in depth, the affects begin to show. At a certain point, these layers of stress become rigid, like dried papier-mâché, getting in our way. It shows up as aches and pains and in an intense moment we might crack and have some of our pent-up stress break-out in a reaction that is bigger than it needs to be.

Can you relate? Have you had a ‘cracking’ experience?

I share this because it may help you understand those around you. Together, we are like baby chicks. If you have ever watched a chick be born it may take hours for them to work themselves out of their shell. When they have shed their shells, they are exhausted. It takes time for them to wake up in their new world.

If you find the people around you, family, friends, and co-workers, having challenging moments or responding with a little too much emotion, give them a little space and forgiveness. We are all shedding layers of accumulated stress — we are coming out of our shells.

For a year, we have become disconnected. Our communication has been isolated by barriers and might have contributed to misunderstandings that now need repair. If your organization has lost some of its cultural mojo, get busy — make each reconnection count.

They layers of cumulative stress are a barrier between our best selves and each other. Be kind to yourself as you shed this extra encumbrance. Like newborn chicks, look with fresh eyes at the world around you. What are you going to imprint upon? What new commitments are you going to make to yourself, your organization, and our world?

Be understanding as others are also doing the same shedding.

Let us find the joy in celebrating the brave and courageous work we have done. Let us pause to take a deep breath to find the energy for co-creating our workplaces and homeplaces to calibrate with the new place at which we have arrived.

The work may never be complete, but I am going to take some time to slough off my shell and stretch my legs before continuing the seemingly never-ending marathon.