On The Job Safety

Posted on August 28, 2015 under Career & Work, Leadership, Mindset

I've been back on the road this past month – Florida to see my parents, Washington, D.C. for an exciting upcoming Joint Venture, and just last week California to join my Mastermind of other spirit-led women-owned business leaders. Here we all are below relaxing at lunch in sunny San Luis Obispo.

Besides enjoying the natural sulfur springs and local wine and cuisine (fun!), we each confronted our own limiting beliefs that prevent us from successfully and easily advancing ourselves and our businesses to the next level.

Career development and business growth is like peeling back an onion – solve one issue and another equally intriguing or vexing situation emerges. It's up to us to embrace the ebb and flow of our human learning curve.

My big “a-ha” of the retreat was during a discussion about Money Mindset. I uncomfortably encountered my unconscious belief that making BIG money – more than I've ever made in my working history – was simply not safe.

I had emotionally fused Big Money with Big Cray-Cray Problems such as 24/7 availability, horrible bosses and clients, loss of health and relationships, having a target on my back, and working for companies without values.

Now, I've definitely been down this spiritual street many times before, but the exercise of putting a very specific number – the ceiling – on the feeling of non-safety was humbling and a big “duh”/relief at the same time.

The notion of “Safety in the Workplace” isn't new. It's original context was regarding accidents like “slip and falls” that OSHA regulates or street vehicles. In the last decade however, the horrific actions of few have brought us fatal workplace violence. Even a few years back no one could have envisioned such sick scenarios happening in the modern office.

Physical threats or true occupational hazards (such as military service) aside, many of us don't feel “safe” at work. There is an emotional war going on and we need to learn how to wisely defend ourselves without becoming bitter, anxious, or suspicious.

Where and when do you not feel safe at work? What are your limits?

Our emotions are really a collective of shared experiences. I hear the same concerns repeatedly from my client base. You're not alone. Here's a few examples:

From Executives: I feel paranoid and isolated, I don't know who to trust, I am unsupported by the board in my difficult decisions.
From Professionals: I don't know where I stand, My peers are unfriendly and back-stabbing, I feel trapped by my student loans.
From Business Owners: I'm afraid my big client will fire me, I don't have enough cash flow, I can't keep up with my friends and family.

So, what's the antidote? The cure is to get incredibly clear on what does make you feel safe and do everything in your power to make it a reality.

What does safety with BIG money look like for me? It specifically looks like serving clients who share the same belief system as my corporate mission, managing support systems and a team that makes the business run smoothly, and being specific about what I'll do with the new revenue.

For an executive, it might look like building personal relationships with other senior people outside of the organization, such as in a Mastermind.

What is your version of emotional safety at work?

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