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In our increasingly fast, tech-driven world, it is especially important to establish respectful norms related to both the virtual workplace and our phone use. Screens exert a magnetic force on our attention, leading us to disengage from others in ways we never did before smartphones and constant notifications.
How many times have you seen someone abruptly withdraw from a conversation because of the ding of a phone? You’ve probably done it yourself, just like we have. In pre-smartphone times, this type of behavior would have negatively stood out. Did you see how John just checked out of the conversation for two minutes? someone might have whispered after a meeting. Yet today most of us are accustomed, or even desensitized, to this happening at the workplace, both in in-person settings and in remote interactions.
But let’s be honest: No one likes being on the receiving end of such inattention and distraction. Why? Because we don’t feel acknowledged or respected. Healthy leaders need to be the ones to lead the way when it comes to taming their technology, thus preventing it from disrupting an environment anchored by love.
Acknowledging people is the principle of love in action. When healthy leaders make this a part of their everyday behavior, it has a positive ripple effect. This will produce tangible benefits.
