Staying the same
Elizabeth (Liz) Gulliver
Our business is your people. We elevate employee experience and drive retention & performance.
Click on that top 10 list? Or that one? That’s right friends, it’s prediction and reflection time!
Every day from now to early January, expect to see ‘looking back’ reflections on 2023 and trend forecasts for 2024. I love it. Can’t get enough. I get sappy over a good photo montage and giddy for what people think we have to look forward to - already looking for peach fuzz throw pillows, thanks Panatone!
It’s still early days, but I’m starting to see commonalities across these lists. Trends on trends, if you will. For starters, a lot of people are talking about talking - specifically, authentic relationships and vulnerable sharing & connection through deeper conversations.
Pinterest Predicts called that out specifically on their list:
And as their team said, “we’re a platform where people go to plan their future, we have unique insight into what’s going to be really big, really soon.” Conversation is not exactly what you think of for Pinterest, which makes me think about it even more.
Another theme is ‘story’. From StorySelling to StoryLeaders, people are planning to double down on the power of narrative when it comes to…everything. Persuasion, influence, engagement, sales. Whether you’re trying to get eyeballs on your content or get your team moving forward together - you better start building a story around it.
On the flip-side, there’s some deep reflection happening on how divided we’ve become. This seems to hit a crescendo late this year, but will likely get worse with the upcoming US elections. Leaders beware, expect & plan for it to heavily impact the workplace.
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Why think about work? Because we’re spending more time working, less time together in our communities. We’re trying to stay afloat in a rapidly changing tech landscape, and are worried about a recession. All of these are things your people are coming to work with each and every day.
But for a minute, I want to stop thinking about what’s changing and think about what’s not. People are quick to ask, ‘what will look different in a year? In 5?’. Equally important is what won’t?
Sounds cheesy, but I think it’s that people crave people. We don’t want to be alone. When everything else around us is changing, what stays consistent is the deep, primal need for connection and community. There’s a whole lot of science and data around that - from newborns to the oldest individuals - but it all boils down to something really simple. People want to be connected to people.
As you’re reading through these lists and trying to predict what you’re going to see in the year ahead, I’d encourage you to stop, pause and also think about what you think is going to stay the same.
We’ll be working on our 2024 Kunik predictions too, but one thing we know is that within our workplaces the need for shared connection, learning and growth will hold strong. As employees and teams face tension and change, they’re better to do it together than alone. The most profitable, highest performance teams/orgs all share one secret. It’s not hours worked. It’s a focus on their people. On helping them develop, grow and connect - together. We’ll be focused on how to make that happen in 2024, just as we were in 2023 and will be in 2025. The specific topics and skills we address vary, the overall need stays the same.
As we work on our own list, I’d love to hear from each of you. What do you think is changing? What do you think absolutely won’t change? What’s that look like for you personally? What about in your workplace?
What we’re reading:
CEO, Giving Children Hope | Speaker-Consultant-Coach on Life, Leadership, and Culture | Kunik Expert
1yWhat's *not* changing is human nature and human relationships. Become good at building committed, high-trust relationships, and you'll maximize performance, happiness, and success. We've been talking the same way about them for +4,000 years (i.e. The Epic of Gilgamesh). P.S. How we communicate and live will change a lot in the next 50 years. Understanding human nature and developing strong relationships will still be the most valuable skill set.
CEO, Giving Children Hope | Speaker-Consultant-Coach on Life, Leadership, and Culture | Kunik Expert
1yRelationship is important? Some things to think about and a kicker. Give a newborn all the food and water they need, but fail to give them love and physical affection, and 40% will die. Half of the rest will have severe psychological challenges. Worst way to bully someone isn't to punch them in the face. Worst way is to shun them. Worst place in prison? Solitary. Harvard Study on Adult Development: "Happiness in life comes from good relationships. Happiness is love. Period." Kicker: We forget that relationship starts with the self. Your relationships with others can be no better than the relationship you have with yourself. (We're REALLY bad at this one).