"I don't understand YOU Americans..."
My old Belgian boss would say (back in the '90s when I worked in China).
When someone would say,
"That's personal", or
"It's just business."
He'd chime in...
"How do you separate 'personal' from 'business"?
Isn't it one and the same?"
Yesterday was "Bring Your Child To Work Day", and as you know by now, there are always two voices in my head.
VOICE 1: "This is special. The care and thought that my colleagues put into this day is inspiring and lovely. The kids bring a ton of energy and have a great time. What a great concept."
VOICE 2: "There is so much going on. Can we afford a day with a bunch of cute little kids running all around the office? Will it distract us and reduce our productivity?"
I know... I know.
I am part grinch.
The older I get, the louder and clearer VOICE 1 is in my head.
Truth is, I used to feel uncomfortable when my kids came into the office (just to visit). I felt like I was imposing on the people around me. I felt like I was distracting them. I loved it when they came to visit, and felt awkward at the same time. (VOICE 1 and VOICE 2).
NONSENSE! SUCH NONSENSE!
It's true... the kids in the office are distracting. And, they are KIDS! And, they are our LIFE. They are such an important part of the LIVES of my colleagues and friends that I so very much appreciate and admire.
And, the truth is that wherever we are, we are ALWAYS 'distracted' on some level...
by life!
Or maybe not 'distracted', but more accurately 'BALANCING & JUGGLING".
EVERYDAY is Bring Your Child to Work Day...
because everyday is
BRING YOUR LIFE TO WORK DAY!
Just because your child is not physically at work on a given day, doesn't mean that you are not thinking about them, worrying about them... and for many (especially moms in my experience), running home because they are sick, because they got hurt at school, because for some reason they need us.
I appreciate "Bring Your Child To Work Day" more and more because it allows us as a company, and me as an individual, to live my values and to gain a greater appreciation for how beautiful these young kids are and how much energy they demand from their parents...
It's a day that forces me to make a deliberate choice between voice 1 and voice 2, and voice 1 always wins!
It reminds me of the different load that we carry as parents during the different times of our parenting.
It forces me to slow down and realize that as important as drafting our growth strategy is... the growth of our kids remains the most important strategy we work on.
It requires me to think simpler... to explain to the kids what we do everyday and why it matters.
It challenges me to present to a very difficult audience... and shows me how very important it is to be relevant to my audience, and that the ONLY thing that truly keeps people's attention is if we can figure out how to make the topic interesting and personal to them.
I appreciate BYCTWD for so many reasons...
but most of all because it forces me to clarity between Voice 1 and Voice 2 - and 1 wins!
gives me an opportunity to engage and appreciate the "wonder" and "playfulness" in children now younger than my own.
reminds me of the important stuff that is in all of our minds and hearts everyday, even if we are not wearing it on our sleeve...
and reminds me of how critically important it is to always be human.
A few weeks ago I wrote that in the mornings, "I didn't want to go to WORK... I wanted to GO TO LIFE!" And, I meant that.
Part of what I think makes me a somewhat effective leader is that I truly do believe and respect that EVERYDAY is
BRING YOUR LIFE TO WORK DAY!
Not necessarily because we want to celebrate it - but because we have no other option. We love what we love. We are responsible for what we are responsible for. Our life is who we are.
And as a leader and as a human being - I want to EMBRACE & RESPECT that always...
I will miss the kids today.
I will miss the rubber spider on my shoulder.
I will miss the tugs on my arm.
I will miss the beautiful little lady who hugged my leg.
I will miss the smiles and the noise and the laughter...
I will be grateful for my colleagues...
more conscious of their beautiful families and more aware of getting older.
I will look at the hand prints on the glass door,
and smile at the thought of the lemonade sale.
BRING YOUR LIFE TO WORK TODAY,
and everyday...
Bring your kids in more often...
It's business.
It's personal.
in harmony,
Nestor
P.S. And, THANK YOU to my amazing & beautiful colleagues who make sure that this day not only happens, but happens in a way that the children who participate will remember for a lifetime! You make me so proud to be part of your team. How very awesome that these kids will think back upon these days with our company and with their parents with joy... as it should be! My only regret is that not everyone in the company gets to share in the day as so many of our colleagues work from home... We will keep working to figure out how to share this day with more of you!