The Capacity Conversation

Have you ever heard someone talk about giving 110%?

I wish leaders would strike this concept from their lexicons! The idea that people should be going “above and beyond” – that you need to give everything you have, and then some – basically expects people to do work for which they were not paid. The expectation being that you will either be working extra time, or doing tasks that are outside your purview, to prove you’re worthy and move up the ladder. But between the understaffing and mounting workloads seen across the public sector, and the increased expectation of employees to be supported in their work and have their well-being taken into consideration, leaders can no longer afford to be unaware of the welfare of their teams.

It’s not possible to give more than you have – if I give every bit of time, energy or money that I have, that’s all of it, 100%. Of course, you can take in more than you need – the beverage on my desk right now gives me 600% of my daily requirement of vitamin B12 – but you can’t give 600%. Show me how to charge a battery past 100%, and I’ll make you a millionaire!

What does this have to do with work?

Using the battery analogy, we need to apply this concept in our workplaces. For those familiar with Spoon Theory, coined in 2003 by Christine Miserandino, it’s a similar concept, taken a bit further. Rather than a straight math equation where we have a number of spoons that deplete over the day, I like to think of it as a battery that fluctuates, with the potential for depletion or restoration over the day. Sure, things like sleep and good nutrition recharge our battery, but so can music or meditation. Our battery is not just about our physical energy, but also our mental energy.

We all have days where we find ourselves “on the struggle bus” – for a variety of reasons. Maybe someone was up with a sick child last night and barely slept. Or maybe someone has an invisible disability that is proving particularly challenging today. Leaders are not mind readers, and we need to be cognizant of where our people might need extra support on any given day, being particularly aware of contributing factors that might not be visible to us. We can get this information by asking, “What is your capacity today?”

But how do we get there?

The main component of the capacity conversation, is establishing psychological safety, which is woefully absent or misunderstood in many organizations. Psychological safety does not mean anyone can say anything, and everything should be joyful bliss. Mistakes happen and questions come up, as do conflicts – psychological safety means we deal with things openly, and in a supportive environment, sensitive to people’s needs. Our teams need to feel comfortable coming to us when things aren’t perfect, and we need to listen, assess and respond, with compassion.

When people feel safe to say, “I’m on the struggle bus today”, they know we will listen, be understanding, and work with them on a solution. That solution could be: a flexible work arrangement for the day, working solo to minimize distractions, or spending time on a mindless project that lets you deal with low mental energy. Realistically, there will not always be a solution or a workaround – it’s the way life goes – but if you know someone is having a challenging day, maybe you won’t assign them that urgent file that just came through.

Are you checking the pulse of your team?

The idea is to be aware of what’s going on with your team and keep the lines of communication open. When people don’t feel safe to speak up for their needs, they can feel excluded and disengaged, neither of which contribute to workplace satisfaction, positive outcomes, or quality work. (This concept also applies to kids! Children don’t have the wisdom and discernment of adults. When things go sideways, as they tend to do with kids, you want them to feel safe to speak up, not hide it or, even worse, suffer in silence.)

This is not a one-time exercise – continuous development of a culture that supports psychological safety is essential. Hearing from your team about what works, what doesn’t and how things can improve, makes a better workplace for everyone. Nothing is ever perfect, so if your people are not speaking up, the question should be … Why?