Grief Has A Place At Work.
Create space for it.
On the train this morning people are pouring over details of the frightening events in Orlando. I cannot imagine the hatred and fear that drives one human to take the lives of many. The immense sense of loss, even at a distance, is deeply saddening and it affects each of us in different ways.
When life is lost, what you think you know about politics and religion counts for little. And as Fred Wilson said this morning, “the only response to this kind of hatred is love, unconditional love”.
As grief begins to unfold for those directly affected by this horrible event it’s important to understand and remember that grief, as a process, can be open-ended. It doesn’t have a prescribed time limit. As it turns out, neither does unconditional love.
Today it will be near impossible to quarantine the events in Orlando from discussion at your workplace or classroom so think about providing a way for your team or classmates to talk about their thoughts and how it’s affecting them. You might be surprised at the outcome and if your team or classmates wish to show an act of love, perhaps consider helping to pay for funeral and medical costs of the Orlando victims via Crowdrise.
And remember, each day someone is reflecting and grieving for a departed loved one. It won’t affect your team or class everyday but when it does know that it’s OK to reach out and pay your respects, it demonstrates a strong sense of empathy and compassion, an essential ingredient of a great team.
