Beyond the numbers

The other night I was talking with a friend I met in an educational organization. I like how she highlighted "See the human beyond the number!" She was referring to her observations in a club I used to partake in. I couldn't agree more with everything she shared that night.

This made me reflect on what I have done or currently doing as a leader. Do I see the soul of each member in my team? Or do I merely manage and direct them like robots that need to accomplish a long list of tasks at the end of the day? I'm thankful that it's the latter. I've made social connections with my team beyond my definition of an immediate head.

I'd like to go back to one of the memorable get-togethers we had. We have this year-starter tradition in the team. Last year we rented a loft in one of Cebu's famous highrise building via Airbnb. An overnight stay felt really short to do all activities we planned; we had swimming, eating, watching movies, playing parlor games, etc. on the list. The only thing we missed was swimming in the pool; we ran out of time.

I was the first one to arrive in the place we rented. It was perfect for a big group like us. There were four (5) beds in the mezzanine. In the main floor, a sparkling white kitchen, a surprisingly spacious comfort room, a cozy living room and a 6 seater dining table were overlooking the bustling city below us. We have everything we need for an amazing night to unfold!

Hours later, the loft was packed with my teammates and their bubbly, funny and loving vibes filled the air. We prepared our food, ate a sumptuous dinner while watching movies in between. One of them prepared a series of parlor games that brought the house down. 😂 Security personnel knocked on our room, not just once but twice, to warn us; apparently, the laughters and screams during the games were unbearable for some of our neighbors. We apologized for the inconvenience and decided we'd stop the games and continue watching movies instead.

We slept late that night or should I say dawn. 😂 We prepared breakfast but mostly were leftovers from the night before. We left the place on time for the cleaner to come and clean after us but we ensured we clean whatever we can before leaving.

The night brought everyone closer and this bond helped us work better as a team. Never underestimate the value of human connection. We work best when people around us are supportive and empathetic. The next time you look at work purely as work, think again! :)

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