Leadership’s Duty of Care
I started my first company at 17, struggling to earn a living on the internet before the web took off. My most marketable skill was typing…
I started my first company at 17, struggling to earn a living on the internet before the web took off. My most marketable skill was typing speed, which opened the door to steady side work as an office “temp.”
I did gigs for corporate clients in Chicago and later NYC. I was living above Rudy’s on 44th & 9th, living off of their free hot dogs, in an apartment infested with bedbugs, cockroaches, and two actor roommates.
I eventually ditched the startup and snagged a suit-and-tie job as a web developer at a Wall Street bank. Later I joined the digital arm of a giant ad agency. One thing led to another, and somehow I have stitched together 30 years in the business world.
Over that time, there’s something I’ve noticed: We are becoming more aware of our emotional needs at work.
Not that we were robots then, but I don’t recall us engaging with work emotionally the way we do now.
Today I see managers trying to anticipate and address the psychological needs of their teams. I hear the word “empathy” every day. We praise leaders who show vulnerability. That was totally not a thing, and it feels like progress.
As someone who is still learning to fully recognize my own privilege, it’s appalling to think back on the pervasive sexist, racist, and bigoted culture. Clearly this work isn’t finished but I hope we’ve improved.
As companies become more aware of the individual identities of their people, I hope they’re growing more empowering and supportive. That’s not yet the reality for everyone, but we can hope for progress.
Mental health is still stigmatized and not properly understood. It is good to hear people talking about how their work habits impact their mental heath and wellness. This was also not a thing back then.
Many still have terrible experiences at work. Progress is unevenly distributed to privileged people who look like me. That sucks and needs to change.
I grade my own performance as mixed. I know that I can be a good human being and I know I can be a good manager. I’m working hard towards doing both at the same time.
That’s important because more people today expect leaders to be emotionally aware human beings. The pandemic, political and social unrest, war, and economic uncertainty have probably escalated our sense of trauma and our longing for safety at work.
Undeniably, our expectations have risen. We expect leaders to show more empathy, kindness, courtesy, and respect. We don’t expect mind readers, but we do expect awareness, availability, and sincerity.
I call it the leader’s “duty of care” — the obligation to prioritize the avoidance of harm to their teams.
Those are the new expectations. If you are a leader, please consider these the basic qualifications for the job.
If you think these requirements reflect some weakness or deficiency on the part of those you lead, consider whether perhaps you are not well suited to lead them. There are plenty of other ways to make your contribution.