September 15

Somewhere out there, there’s a former top performer, now barely meeting expectations. He feels the pressure of falling behind, of letting his team down. He used to thrive under pressure, but now that energy is all gone. He can barely get out of bed, and work—once a source of pride—is now a source of shame. He doesn’t know what’s happening to him.

Somewhere out there, there’s a manager who needs her top performer back. She feels the pressure of missing her goals, and she doesn’t want to let him go, but he’s not showing up, and she needs someone doing the work. He used to be the light of the office—as a person, not just a professional—but now when he shows up, he’s short-tempered and prickly. She knows she needs to speak up, but she’s afraid that if she does, he’ll blow up, and that’ll just make it worse.

Consider this:
When someone is hurting, it’s not what you say that helps. It’s how you listen.