What Feral Kittens Taught Me About Toxic Workplaces and Leadership
Lindsay Mustain fostered four feral kittens who were terrified and traumatized. The same thing happens to top talent in toxic workplaces. Here is what it takes to help people thrive.
What Feral Kittens Taught Me About Toxic Workplaces and Leadership
This summer I fostered 4 feral kittens. 🐾🐾🐾🐾
They came to me smelly, underweight, and terrified. They hissed every time we got close.
I've fostered over 100 kittens in my life, and these little ones were the most scared I've ever seen.
They weren't used to being warm, fed, and safe.
They certainly weren't ready to be loved.
They were happy to hide away and play a little when no one was looking.
I wanted them to have a good life and go to homes where they would be happy and loved companion animals.
When they weren't socializing as quickly as they should, my husband, kids, and I spent 1:1 time with each kitten for 2 hours a day.
For 2 hours, they had devoted attention from a human who loved them, fed them, and held them while they were sleeping.
They blossomed.
It took a big investment to get them ready for adoption.
They've all been adopted now (plot twist - 2 of them were adopted by us 😻😻).
The way that I foster is the same way that I led teams in corporate america.
People need to feel safe, supported, and that they have someone on their side.
I can't believe how obvious this is and yet, it's missing for most people at work.
Top talent that has both IQ and EQ can get destroyed and traumatized by toxic management and culture (I'm looking at you Musk).
They think something is wrong with them when it's actually their environment.
The full Theory of Hireability™ is at TheoryOfHireability.com. Read the manifesto before your next job search move.
