When I was in my 20s and 30s, I commonly heard phrases like, “You are just like my daughter,” or “You remind me of my sister,” from managers or senior colleagues. These comments were meant to be an expression of care for my wellbeing and development. They were rarely questioned.
Today, many employees, specially Gen Z, find reference to familial relationships uncomfortable, even intrusive.
In my recent LinkedIn poll, only 18% respondents said that they are comfortable with such familial remarks.
In a multi-generational workplace, familial analogies blur lines that are better kept distinct. A harmless comment could be perceived as intrusion.
Here’s my advice: if you are tempted to bring in familial reference into a conversation:
◻ Be conscious of your desire / tendency, and make conscious effort to refrain
◻ Check the other person’s preference and comfort level, it’s OK to ask directly.
◻ Evaluate the trust and rapport – do you have the relationship where bringing in familial relationship feels natural. In my LinkedIn poll, 50% people responded as ‘depends’…
These have helped me from getting in awkward situations.
Have you ever faced a situation where your well-meaning comment was misinterpreted? What did you do?
At the outset, I would like to thank you for stopping by my Blog.
I believe that there is nothing right or wrong in this world. What’s right in this moment and context may be wrong in another moment and context. This belief has inspired me to name my blog ‘Perspectives’.
Perspectives is a platform for me to share my experiences, thoughts and perspectives on various subjects. You may have a different point of view. I look forward to hearing them, these are the triggers for rich and deep conversations.
On personal front, I live in Mumbai, India. I love to read; Somerset Maugham and Nevil Shute are my favorite authors. My favorite books are The Razor’s Edge, Mrs. Craddock, Chequer Board and Gone with the Wind. I am thankful to my father who inculcated the habit of reading in me early on.
I am also passionate about traveling, I have been to most parts of India and to several countries across the globe.
On professional front, I work in Human Resources function. Over two and half decades, I have worked across multiple industries and cultures. I focus on Leadership Development, Talent Management, Visioning and Culture, Large-scale change, Employee Listening & Engagement, Employee Well-being, Inclusive work culture, HR effectiveness, Behavior and Mind-set shifts through sustained interventions
I currently lead Organization Effectiveness Function for Aditya Birla Group, a $44.3 billion conglomerate with 120000 employees across 35 countries.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading my blog. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you!
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Perspectives 