Managing in an Un-United World
As a result of my not wanting to buy any more streaming services, I typically catch all the award show outcomes the next day online.
I'm mostly in it for the outfits. Did you catch the 2025 Emmys by chance and see Elizabeth Banks' silver lining?! Google it, my friend, then blow it up to see the details. Ah-mazing.
I digress.
The important thing I caught the morning after the 2025 Emmys was a quote by Stephen Colbert. During his acceptance speech, he says, "Stay strong. Be brave. And if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor!”
Something about "punch a higher floor" struck me.
In a similar vein to my previous blog on Spiraling Up, this idea of punching a higher floor seems one of the most important actions a manager (human?) can take.
I doubt there is any other action more important -- now, amidst the divisiveness -- than to punch a higher floor.
We have no other solution than to take things up from where they are.
For my own mental health, I'm going to punch that higher floor when the day's got me down. I'm gonna punch it when my social feed is flooded with hate. I'm gonna punch it when everything about the United States is so un-united. There is no other choice.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MANAGERS
It's hard to manage people. There, I've said it.
It's especially, infinitely, totally, extra hard during this current world environment. To maintain your own personal sanity, you've got to be finding ways to elevate your thoughts, your demeanor, and your soul, frankly, to be able to lead effectively.
What can that look like? Well, here are a few things that come to mind for me when I think of "punching up."
1. Go for a quick vs a total solve
When you're feeling ugh, sometimes the best way to move forward is to get a quick win. Pick one small task you can knock out fast. This could be anything from texting back your mom to scheduling a 1:1 to finally making time to meet a co-worker for coffee. The sense of accomplishment from that small win can give you a much-needed mental shift from other, bigger weights on your mind.
2. Shake up the snow globe
I stole this saying from my sister, Felicia. It means do something out of the ordinary to jigger you off autopilot. Drive a different route to work. Eat at a place you've never been. Take a weekend trip somewhere new. Oftentimes, the grey in our life and work is screaming for a splash of color.
3. Get other people on the elevator
You don't have to carry the weight all by yourself. Just like an elevator has other people in it, you have a support system around you. Tell a peer what you're struggling with. Open up to your manager about what's stressing you. I find that when I share my struggles, it magically opens up both the relationship and the offers of help.
Thank you, Stephen Colbert, for a decade of entertainment, and this one powerful quote.
About The Author
For the past two decades, Cecilia Gorman has helped advertising agencies and other creatively-minded companies fix costly communication and productivity issues by teaching managers how to become better connectors, motivators, and leaders. Cecilia is the author of Always Believe In Better, creator of the digital learning course for managers—Manager Boot Camp, and co-founder of the global training and support community for working women—Empowership.
Interested in growing your skills as a manager? Check out how Manager Boot Camp might help.
