Do our staff and employees need tougher skin — or do we not care?

I was talking with a mate the other day, about the need for some employees to toughen up — to get a thicker skin.

Some people don’t take critique or challenge well. Some have never been challenged to be more. Perhaps they didn’t have high standards as a child.

Some children are told they’re the best — but have much more to give. 

As adults, they survive in mediocre workplaces — finding comfort in the mundane.

Then, one day (if they’re lucky), they turn up at our place of work, led by people on a mission to get the job done — where high performers are celebrated, every mediocre practice banned from the SOP.

Places like this are full of criticism and critique. They’re places of conflict and debate — because they’re always asking questions like ‘how can we make this better’? or ‘how on earth did we get that wrong’?

But are places like this safe? Is it wise to hold a high standard if people might get hurt?

We should ask the same questions at home. What phycological damage will we do to our children if we hold a high standard?

The answer is none at all — if we do it well.

Because the science is clear, we all need a higher standard, we all need to be challenged to be more. But in your home and your workplace, do people have the freedom to fail — without being treated as a failure?

Are we dealing with issues when they arise — or does our anger rise instead?

Do we encourage honesty around mistakes by saying sorry when they’re ours?

Some people don’t want to grow and a growth culture won’t fit them — but sometimes it’s us who wont grow — because our leadership lacks care. 

Are our kids and employees are getting a thicker hide — or are they just hiding instead?