On the Goga December 2021 Newsletter

ON THE GOGA

december newsletter CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALITY No matter what your perspectives or traditions are around the holiday season, we all have a unique relationship with it. This month, we explore what its looks like to own your unique experiences and open the door to celebrate individuality amongst your team.

wellness tip HOLIDAY HUSTLE

Tis the season for holiday shopping, yearly deadlines, and social gatherings, it’s no secret that the last month of the year can bring about a spirit of hustle. Finding time to care for yourself during this busy season is crucial to preventing that end of the year burn out we all know and love. Maybe it’s taking an extra long walk during your lunch break, or ending your day with something that soothes you, like a warm bath. These small acts of self-care can relieve stress and help you to recharge so you can end the year on a lighter, more rested note. Consider how you can create space to rest and care for yourself during this time of year.

december HOLIDAYS World Aids Day National Cookie Day National Letter Writing Day National Ugly Sweater Day Christmas Kwanzaa National Call a Friend Day

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holiday highlight TEAK + TWINE

Holiday Gift Boxes just got a Makeover Teak and Twine is a women and veteran-owned company that creates holiday gift boxes you’ll be excited to receive. Each box is handcrafted with items like small-batch coffee and shortbread cookies. You can choose from a themed box or have them create customized boxes for your whole team! They handle all the logistics to create a memorable gift that will leave everyone talking.

Create your Custom Gift Box Here

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DECEMBER

CELEBRATING UNIQUENESS IN OUR TEAMS EXPLORING THE GIFT OF INDIVIDUALITY

No matter what your perspectives or traditions are around the holiday season, we all have a unique relationship with it. Some of us enjoy the holiday festivities, for others we endure them. Some of us might relish in the twinkling lights on the houses, and many of us dread lethargy that comes with the longer nights. No matter what your experience is, it’s yours. Owning our unique experiences has actually been shown to help us increase resilience, adapt to change, and feel a greater sense of well-being. What’s even more exciting is that celebrating this individuality, in our teams, can enhance creativity, innovation, and inclusion in our daily work and lives.

THE GIFT OF INDIVIDUALITY Our unique blend of experiences, perspectives, cultures, and identities make us who we are. These unique identities are based both on chosen experiences - hobbies, interests, friends - and cultural identities - race, gender, age, sexual orientation, and more. Our identities are highly complex. In fact, research shows us that many individuals claim multiple, overlapping identities. Our identities give us our unique perspectives, talents, and skills that we apply to our relationships, our hobbies, and our work. Leaning into our authentic experiences makes us more resilient, increases our ability to adapt, and improves our overall well being. In the workplace, our individuality sparks unique ideas. And individuals who hold multiple identities are often better at collaboration and creative problem solving, because of the work they have had to put into reconciling conflicting experiences within themselves. When we create company cultures where individuality is celebrated, employees feel more satisfied and engaged in their jobs, seeking out small and large ways to share their unique value and strengths with their teams. Here are a few ways that we can validate, encourage, and celebrate the uniqueness of our teams.

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DECEMBER

CELEBRATING UNIQUENESS IN OUR TEAMS EXPLORING THE GIFT OF INDIVIDUALITY

UNDERSTAND YOUR IMPACT Before we go any further, let’s acknowledge that celebrating our uniqueness may not feel safe or natural for everyone. For many individuals holding multiple identities, especially historically oppressed or marginalized identities, this can be incredibly difficult. Many of us may not feel a total sense of comfort or ownership over these identities, especially in shared spaces, like at work. Darien LaBeach, Director of DEI Strategy at Huge, shares that “companies have historically marginalized BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) employees simply for who they are.” Celebrating uniqueness has to come alongside a commitment to creating a genuinely safe space for everyone in your organization. It’s important to gain insight on your employees current experiences through conversation, surveying and even focus groups so that you can identify how your words and actions will land, and where you can improve. On the Goga offers Consulting Services to help you do just that.

FOCUS ON STRENGTHS Research by Gallup demonstrates that one key to unlocking the power of individuality is enabling employees to work from their strengths. If everyone on your team was the same, you’d never get anything done. In a restaurant for example, you need chefs, waiters, hosts, and patrons! Give people the opportunity to showcase their strengths by assigning them to relevant projects and teams, making sure their managers understand their working style, and creating dedicated spaces for team members to share ideas (and even dissent).

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DECEMBER

CELEBRATING UNIQUENESS IN OUR TEAMS EXPLORING THE GIFT OF INDIVIDUALITY

HIGHLIGHT HUMANITY Part of celebrating individuality is weaving opportunities for personal conversation into our daily schedule. At On the Goga, we start each meeting with a quick check-in question like “What’s one thing you’ve done at work over the past month that you’re proud of?” or “If you could have a superpower, what would it be?” These small moments can be a great way to shatter circular thinking, break the ice, and highlight our individuality. Another idea we’ve integrated is our “Bright Spots” Slack channel, dedicated to sharing small moments of connection and gratitude with one another

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BUILD TRUST THROUGH HONESTY Studies show that employees want their leaders to be more open about the challenges they are experiencing. You may feel like you have to keep your challenges, hard days, and moments of humanity from your team, but being honest and open about your own moments of struggle can build a sense of connection with those you work with. Cultivate connection through sharing openly when things are difficult or don’t go as planned. This can go along way towards building trust within your team, and you may even receive some helpful support. We are all complex individuals with our own likes, dislikes, and life experiences. Try thinking through this lens and approach work with curiosity, instead of drawing assumptions. This can open the door to new conversations and encourage others to bring more of their full selves to work. We are all the sum of the success and challenges of our unique life experience, so share that in a way that feels good to you.

LOOKING FOR MORE CONSULTING RESOURCES? WE’RE HERE TO HELP! CONTACT US AT INFO@ONTHEGOGA.COM

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DECEMBER

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