Embracing silence can be a powerful tool in fostering creativity and productivity. Discover the art of building a culture that respects quiet time, enhancing focus and reducing stress in the workplace. Let's delve into the transformative power of tranquility.
An organizational culture can be noisy or it can be quiet
Conventions of noisiness run deep across society today
- Demands like constant connectivity and maintaining a competitive advantage still prevail in most office cultures
- Few organizations prize or prioritize pristine human attention
- But there are simple…
- An individual can be too noisy to think.
What noisy habits bother me most?
Susan Griffin-Black, co-CEO of EO Products, shares her golden rule: “never be on my phone or computer when someone is talking to me, no multitasking when I’m with someone else.”
- Model what you want to see more of in the world.
How can I help others find the quiet time they need?
Where it’s appropriate, and when it’s within your influence, consider how you can be a champion for quiet – not just in the whole organization, but specifically for the people who lack the power or autonomy to structure their own circumstances.
A World of Noise
Noise is the unwanted sound and mental stimulation that interferes with our capacity to make sense of the world and our ability to act upon our intentions.
- It’s a primary barrier to being able to identify and implement solutions to the challenges we face as individuals, organizations, and even whole societies.
Transforming Norms of Noise
Facilitating pristine attention was a shared goal.
- There are simple strategies we can employ to find our own personal sanctuaries and to shift broader cultures
- By reclaiming silence in the workplace, we can create the conditions for reducing burnout and enhancing creative problem solving.
In what ways do I create noise that negatively impacts others?
Check in with yourself
- How are you contributing to the auditory and informational noise facing the greater collective
- Question whether any given habit that’s generating noise is necessary or if it’s really just an unexamined impulse – a default that needs to be reset
