In 2020, Angry and Effective Is The New People Pleasing
Oh hey there, friends! I have returned from Canada, and am ensconced in my ill-insulated apartment, somehow feeling colder than in the house my parents keep at 18 degrees Celsius. You know, I feel like these intros have just become the place wherein I report the temperature of my kitchen as I write, but hey, those are the not-so-hot takes you signed up to read every morning (#sorrynotsorry)
TO THE INTERWEBS!
Next week, I will proudly and enthusiastically vote for Elizabeth Warren in the Democratic primary. There are many reasons why, and I hope to write something semi-legible about it, but here’s one: Hell hath no fury like Elizabeth Warren. The kicker from this piece perfectly captures what I felt after that Nevada debate: “But for the first time — and with any luck, not the last — a female presidential candidate didn’t just play with fire, she threw it, at everyone in her path, and stepped off the stage without a blister.” And on that same note, I WANT an Angry Woman as My President, Actually.
Flipping to a counter narrative women feel they need to fit themselves into, sometimes, you just feel attacked but also seen by the internet: Why High-Achieving Women Pretend Their Lives Are in Shambles. In describing Liz Lemon, the piece observes, “Her achievements aren’t accidents, but she doesn’t want you to see how much she cares.” Although, in some of our defense, sometimes our lives ARE in shambles for a spell and we’re just resilient AF and get through it with humor and a daily-ish newsletter read by awesome people.
I’m late to this, but The Boy Scouts of America organization filed for bankruptcy. This after over 300 lawsuits have been filed by alleged victims of sexual assault, and a researcher revealed that nearly 8,000 Scout leaders have been accused of abuse over the past 70 years. Janet Warren spent five years reviewing what the BSA called the records containing details on those banned from volunteering because of alleged behavior, details kept in what were called “perversion files” and you know what, if your group has enough allegations to constitute needing a set of files with that name, maybe the whole org should be taken apart and sold for parts.
And finally, on a better note, a colleague of mine shared this HBR article on our work social network: Making Joy a Priority at Work. Look, I get it, not everyone is as hellbent on celebrating the little things at work that make me smile lest the darkness creep in and I spend my days hiding under a duvet at home, but this piece contains actionable advice for managers on how to improve morale and find positivity in a workplace. It’s not a mindset, it’s a practice leadership must commit to. So if you manage people or lead a team, YOU can make it better for everyone around you. And it’s on you to do so.
Love y’all, mean it. Be kind to each other.
xoxo Amy