If The Shoe Fits: The Importance Of ‘Whole Self’
by Miki SaxonA Friday series exploring Startups and the people who make them go. Read all If the Shoe Fits posts here.
The suicide of Austen Heinz, CEO of Cambrian Genomics and other founders in 2015 that focused a spotlight on the increasing levels of depression among entrepreneurs.
The same people who are responsible for their company’s environment, as well as its culture
Have you created an environment for your people in which they are as productive, creative, confident, and happy as possible?
Is it one that welcomes their ‘whole self’?
Or just the easy, socially acceptable, whatever-it-takes-to-fit-in version?
The above traits are enhanced when people can bring all of what makes them them to work.
It’s well-known that startups reflect the attitudes of their founders.
If founders choose to ignore or, much worse, deny the importance of ‘whole self’ and the positive mental health associated with it they should expect problems (not challenges).
The more pressure to fit in the more energy is spent camouflaging/hiding and even denying parts of one’s self.
That’s energy that would be spent on more positive efforts in a different environment.
An environment that actually welcomed ‘whole selves’ in fact, not just in talk.
Use the links; read the articles.
Then take a hard look at how many of your people are actually bringing their ‘whole’selves’ to work.
And if it’s not 100%, then do something about it.
Image credit: HikingArtist