Why telling people to care for themselves doesn’t work, and what leaders can do instead.

This article is for leaders of caring organizations who work hard to take care of their people. The words and action steps below reflect perspectives and experiences of caring professionals who have generously and kindly shared with me what they have learned about self-care.

What are leaders saying when asking employees to “be flexible”?

Those who lead organizations of caring professionals right now will need to ask our staff and those we serve to be flexible. Every aspect of our work will happen differently for a while, and leaders are right to communicate this truth. However, leaders can sometimes ask employees to “be flexible” when they really mean something else. Here are three examples along with some helpful tools for you and your team.