Summary: Leaders are increasingly focused on productivity hacks, hybrid work schedules, and the latest tech platforms. Yet underneath the noise, something essential has slipped through the cracks. Hint: No AI can fix what is missing.
Dear Dr. Sylvia,
There was an awkward moment at work recently.
Before we settled down for our ELT, one of the other leaders asked me how my wife is doing.
I was not sure how to respond.
You see, my wife is recuperating from breast cancer surgery, and I have not told anyone at work the real reason for her hospital stay.
That is, until the VP of Marketing put her arm around my shoulder
Look, I’m a strapping 6’3” guy who appears to be like Atlas on the outside.
On the inside, I’m a mess right now.
I don’t want sympathy, yet…
When Suzie put her arm around me, I felt less alone. Psychological Safety
I broke down and told her the prognosis was questionable, and her response was perfect.
“We are here for you. I know you have kept the details from the hospital stay to yourself, and that is okay.
However, there is a better way.
We can support you through this rough journey. I know we have been a “business comes first” type of organization, and it’s time for us to stop modeling the robots and start responding as whole human beings.”
I’m curious, what are your thoughts about sharing personal information at work? I want to know when to share and how much to share.
I must admit, I felt a great deal better after my brief chat with Suzie.
Signed,
FHB (Fallible Human Being)
Real Human Connection
Dear FHB,
Yes, we’re “connected” 24/7.
But how often do we actually connect? Too many workplaces are transactional: complete the report, meet the target, and move on to the next task.
What’s Missing Is The Pause
First, take a deep breath. Then, take the moment to ask, “How are you really doing?” not just “You good?” before rushing on. When people feel like interchangeable cogs, creativity dries up.
Here is the truth: Without genuine relationships, collaboration becomes compliance.
Psychological Safety is the Foundation
Buzzword alert? Maybe. But here’s the reality: most employees still bite their tongue.
They fear ridicule, rejection, or retaliation if they speak the truth.
Workplaces are missing the safety net where candor is rewarded instead of punished. And without candor, organizations coast on half-truths until reality smacks them in the face.
Another Basic Truth: Innovation doesn’t come from nodding heads; it comes from courageous voices.
Yes, Take a Time-out To Think
In too many companies, the calendar rules like a tyrant. Back-to-back Zooms, endless meetings, and fire-drill deadlines squeeze out the very thing leaders say they want most: innovation.
What’s missing is white space. That means the freedom to reflect, imagine, and problem-solve without someone breathing down your neck about “productivity.”
Brain Truth: A brain on overdrive produces output, not insight.
Life Has Meaning Beyond Metrics
Spreadsheets tell us what we did. They don’t tell us why we should care. Younger generations entering the workforce are not motivated solely by financial carrots.
They want purpose, impact, and a reason to get out of bed besides a paycheck.
What’s missing is a shared narrative: “Here’s why our work matters in the bigger picture.”
Workplace truth: Purpose is the fuel. Without it, even high performers stall out.
Pattern Awareness and Individual Development Live Together
This one gets personal. Every workplace is a stage where old family dynamics replay, power struggles, avoidance, rescuing, and blaming occur.
What’s missing in most organizations is awareness that these invisible patterns shape how people lead, follow, and collide.
When we ignore them, dysfunction takes over. When we see them, we can change the script. Read more in “Invisible Stress (It’s NOT What YOU Think)“.
Core Truth: Until leaders confront hidden patterns, they’ll repeat them, at work and everywhere else.
The Missing Pieces Are the Real Work
The future of work isn’t just about better tech or flexible schedules. It’s about reclaiming what’s been lost: connection, safety, reflection, meaning, and awareness.
When leaders bring those missing pieces back into the workplace, organizations don’t just succeed, they thrive.
Because here’s the irony: the “soft stuff” that’s missing? It’s the most complex and most valuable edge you can create.
To your success,
Sylvia LafairP.S.: Take the Pattern Awareness quiz to see which old family dynamic sneaks into your office. Then learn to transform it. If you ignore, dysfunction runs the show
