It’s not a matter of having training. But what are you training your teams on? It’s not a matter of investing in leaders and supporting their management pathways, but what sort of managers and leaders will thrive in your work environment and what are you leading them towards?

According to the Society of Human Resource Management, only 4 percent of U.S. companies offer a paid sabbatical program and only 16 percent offer an unpaid sabbatical program!

As you read this latest post, I am taking just that…a sabbatical. Believe it or not, I wrestled with even saying that for quite some time given the confusion around sabbaticals and even the stigma of taking a sabbatical in the private sector. So many people often wonder if a person simply has burned out and the very notion of a sabbatical is simply them taking a “mental health holiday” in order to cope with work and life.

More Harm Than Good?

Some people have commented before that my career path is a tad unusual. I like to think there is a common thread from one role to the next, but I can certainly see how the diversity of roles and experiences might seem out of the ordinary. One of those roles, sandwiched inside my resume between my work inside a church and my current work leading Access Ventures, is a stint working for both a family office and as the global organization design (OD) manager at a manufacturing company. So from my time as a pastor to running OD to launching Access Ventures, I have used A LOT of personality profiles…A LOT.

There are great advantages to working in an office environment, and even as you work remote…to have days focused on tasks and near-term needs: project collaboration, creative synergy, and general human interaction and camaraderie are the name of the game. That said, once in a while I find my mind becomes distracted. I am happy to say that I love what I do, but sometimes the distraction builds to a point where my brain needs a little reminder to just shift a bit more focus from the 'do' part to the 'love' part - effectively, my 'mission perspective' needs a reset.

How saying the right thing in the wrong way can still create relational tension and erode unity

Have you ever been in that situation where you said the right thing in the wrong way? Or in the wrong context? I have found myself, on many occasions, completely missing the mark while intending nothing but the best. So many issues in life and business boil down to mixed communications. Therefore, it’s not surprising that 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.

In my quick research, I stumbled upon a research study conducted by Pen Heaven that asked 1,000 members of the public about their correspondence habits. The research found that while we send 16 tweets a month, we barely write one letter a month. And 64% of those surveyed admitted to not writing a single letter in an entire year! Contrast that too with the fact that 69% of respondents said receiving a letter through the mail would mean more to them than any other form of written communication.