And here’s what I really want to say.
Getting personal at work is no longer optional. I don’t care how old you are, what industry you’re in, or what your HR manual says. The “it’s not my business” mentality has to end.
It IS your business. Because your people ARE your business.
Yes it gets messy. Yes you will say the wrong thing sometimes. Yes you will have to look someone in the eye and say “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone there.” But you know what happens on the other side of that? The relationship goes deeper. The commitment goes deeper. Turnover drops. Loyalty grows. And you become the kind of leader people actually stay for.
I have always believed in the manager instinct. You know when something is off. You know when someone needs to be asked. So ask. Trust that instinct. The worst that happens is an awkward moment. The best that happens changes someone’s life.
You already know what to say. Go say it.
