Just Like Any Another Day at the Office (But With More Pudding Cups)

Welcome to my life, which is basically a sitcom nobody asked for

Truthfully, I wouldn’t trade this for all the tea in China (I’m a coffee girl anyway). None of this could happen without the support of many friends and family. I don’t believe that we’re designed to ‘go it alone’ on the journey of life. If you don’t believe me, binge watch a season of The History Channel's Alone. While most of these people have the skills to survive alone in the wilderness for a really long time, for many of them it’s the isolation from their loved ones that drives their decision to leave the competition with new knowledge that they really need the emotional connection of their people for true survival.

Creating a human-to-human connection

This is what we strive for in marketing, for sure, but what organizations that have mastered culture have learned is that there are no two individuals in their organization that are identical. They come from different cultures, families, economics, experiences, have a variety of skills and education. Each person is like a brick in the wall and it’s the mission, vision and values that are the mortar that holds everyone together. They all rely on each other for support so that they are moving forward together with aligned priorities.

One of my goals when I join an organization is to meet as many people from as many teams as possible so that I can learn what I can do to best support their success and determine our intersecting points between my team's work, and theirs. These people oftentimes become lifelong friends because we bonded at the human-to-human level. Even more importantly, they sometimes became my ‘squad’. These are a small group of internal advocates I use to help guide my decisions, shine a light on my blind spots and provide perspective I may not have considered.

Finding your squad

In my current role as the caregiver of my parents, I still rely on the power of a squad. They each bring unique perspectives and have very different approaches to supporting me when I signal an SOS. These ladies have been my ride-or-die crew for decades through all the corporate chaos I’ve endured, and now they’re helping me navigate the even wilder world of caregiving. I couldn’t survive without them, and I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today without their support. Meet my go-to gals who keep me grounded—here’s a quick rundown of their superpowers:

Terre: "Turn left at the insanity, proceed straight to sanity."

We’ve been friends since our early 20s, so Terre knows all my stories. These days, she’s a business executive coach, which is just a fancy way of saying she’s got her shit together. Terre is like my personal Spock: logical, analytical, and always action-oriented. When I’m losing my mind because everything in my parents house is beeping, from blood sugar monitors to the oven timer to the coffee maker (but I’m the only one who can hear any of this), she very directly reminds me that this is, in part, why I’m here and then very, very directly tells me to get over it and fix it. Her no-nonsense approach is like having a GPS for the chaos of caregiving.

Paula: “F*n A! That’s Ridiculous!”

Then there's my sister, Paula. She’s fiercely loyal and will always be the first to throw on boxing gloves and step into the ring to defend me. It’s like having my very own Ronda Rousey on speed dial. When caregiving feels like I’m trapped in a never-ending episode of "Survivor: Elderly Edition," Paula’s the one who’s ready to snuff out someone’s torch for me. I would argue she’s even more loyal to me than to our parents. She recognizes that if I fail, our parents' dream of being carried out of here in a pine box will be over. Her fierce loyalty is like having a personal bodyguard who’s also emotionally invested. It's both terrifying and incredibly comforting.

Joni: “You’re not wrong, but have you considered…!”

And last, but certainly not least, there’s Joni. If we were in a Native American tribe, Joni would be the elder revered for her wisdom, leadership, and spiritual knowledge. She’s like Yoda, but taller and with better hair. When my mom is trying to tell a story that is riddled with word gaps, “Ya know that guy… the one that was in that movie… it was filmed in that beautiful state… he was married to that girl… she had the hair.” “Are we talking about Brad Pitt?” “YESSSSS! Oh my gawd, Pammy, you’re so good at this game!” I’ll call Joni and she’ll remind me that I am NOT, in fact, being punked. She assures me that I’ve got this. She reminds me of my strength and that I’ve been through more difficult situations. She always offers a teaspoon full of advice designed to get me back in my power. Her calm wisdom makes me feel like I’m not alone on this rollercoaster of geriatric drama. She’s the zen master who can turn my panic into, well, slightly less panic.

Translating Squad Dynamics to the Workplace

Now, let’s talk about how this applies to the workplace. Yes, there’s a segue. In my professional life, I always sought out unique types of people on different teams to build connections with. It’s like building a superhero squad but for project management, Agile, customer experience, pivot tables, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.

• Identify Your Squad: Just like I have Terre, Paula, and Joni, find colleagues who bring diverse perspectives. You need your own personal Spock, Ronda Rousey, and Yoda at work.

• Leverage Diverse Strengths: Each squad member offers unique insights. Use their superpowers to tackle challenges. Think of it as the Avengers but with fewer explosions and more conference calls. Unless blowing things up is a good thing(?).

• Provide and Seek Support: Support is a two-way street. Be there for your team, and let them be there for you. It’s like a trust fall exercise, but with less awkward touching.

• Embrace Different Perspectives: Diverse perspectives are gold. Encourage open communication and respect for varying viewpoints. It’s like a melting pot of brilliance, but without the weird soup analogy. Share ideas and enlist their help in developing the idea further, to help identify blind spots or to bring richness to the project.

• Maintain Balance and Well-being: Prioritize the well-being of your team. Encourage a healthy work-life balance and mental health support. Because burnout is so last season.

Whether in personal life or the workplace, surrounding yourself with a diverse group of individuals who offer different strengths and perspectives is crucial. As I continue this hilarious and heart-wrenching journey, I am grateful for Terre, Paula, and Joni and so many others to keep me empowered to be successful at this. They are the Avengers of my sanity, and in the ever-evolving sitcom of caregiving and work, one thing is clear: we’re stronger, funnier, and definitely more ridiculous together.

Onward and upward supporting those around us.