5 Things / Flow State
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This week I watched a family member be fully in their element at work. It was a treat to witness them in their flow state managing their team. They have a gift for making others feel seen. I couldn’t stop smiling. They made it look easy and even seemed to be having fun.
Do you know what your flow state is at work? Everyone has one, and it’s a beautiful thing to behold. It can be buried, though. Sometimes we have the right people but they’re in the wrong role. That’s one of the reasons it’s critical to stay curious with the people on your team. When someone is underperforming, yet they share the organization’s values, perhaps they’re in the wrong role. We miss out on seeing them in flow, on their potential.
Help them help you. Here are a few questions to ask the people on your team periodically: What would make your job more satisfying? What’s most energizing about this job for you? Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
My flow state is giving keynotes…it’s my passion to speak about everyone’s role in creating a more engaged and inclusive culture…
Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:
Hitachi adds DEI metrics to performance reviews
Beginning in 2025, Hitachi is taking a proactive approach by adding DEI metrics into employee performance reviews, impacting 40% of its Japan-based workforce. This initiative aims to enhance retention and mitigate cultural misunderstandings in a predominantly non-Japanese workforce. Japan faces unique DE&I challenges, including a significant gender gap and an aging population. In contrast to some opposition in the US, Hitachi's move aligns with the preferences of 97% of Gen Z workers in Japan, emphasizing the growing importance of DE&I in attracting talent.
JFK and other airports become more autism-friendly
On LinkedIn, Nate Shalev, who’s autistic, wrote about how their experience at JFK airport was dramatically improved due to the Sunflower Initiative, a symbol for hidden disabilities. For an autistic person, navigating the airport's sensory chaos can be overwhelming. Nate was wearing the Sunflower lanyard, which signifies a need for support and grants access to a separate security lane without explanations. Many other airports are doing the same. This proactive approach reduces stigma and empowers the increasing number of individuals with hidden disabilities.
Massachusetts moves to skills-based hiring
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed an executive order eliminating minimum education requirements for state agency hires, emphasizing a shift to a skills-based economy. This shift towards "skills-based hiring" is very much welcome because folks from traditionally marginalized backgrounds are less likely to have degrees, yet can bring an incredible amount of value to the workforce. This is an easy way to diversify talent pipelines by prioritizing skills over traditional credentials like degrees. My hope is that this encourages businesses to adopt similar practices.
Walmart invests in its managers, again
Walmart is back in 5 Things again this week, this time for giving its store managers up to $20k annually in stock grants, effectively making them owners in the company. Now with an increase in base salary, an improved bonus structure, plus the stock grants, store managers can earn up to $404,000 annually. Remember, ~75% of store management began as hourly employees, with a disproportionate number of those BIPOC. This matters to those families.
Mark Cuban doubles down on support for DEI
Following the story about Jamie Dimon from JPMorgan last week, Mark Cuban’s another powerful straight white guy speaking out for DEI, saying on X: “If you find the companies who think diversity is a negative, let me know. I want to short them or compete against them.” DEI is as relevant as ever…stay the course!
This Week’s Call to Action:
It’s Black History Month! In the spirit of intersectionality, here’s a list of 12 Black queer books and 21 films to check out.