Gabriela Ioshimoto, CPO at Scooto, shows how the perception of family in a professional environment can be detrimental to working relationships.
That’s the phrase that came out of a well-meaning person to the company group. But the truth is that we’re not, even though we’re pretty cool.
Politics, business and sport are some of the areas of society that cling to the term “family” as a model of the ideal institution that brings a feeling of belonging, of a nice group that connects, that gets along, that you can count on for life, loyally, almost unconditionally.
But you and I have family and we know that, if it weren’t for genetics or a legal commitment to looking after each other, we’d have already “fired” a lot of relatives out there. This relationship can be a burden and the reason for many therapy sessions. Have you ever wondered if we could make an agreement with our uncle?
“Dear Uncle Tonhão,
we’re very sorry, but after your stances at family barbecues, your bad jokes, your criticism of Aunt Lili’s mayonnaise without any solutions, we’ve decided that you’re out of step with the family.
What’s more, you don’t cooperate in organizing the barbecue and your obsession with soccer doesn’t add anything and often leads to arguments. But don’t get us wrong, it’s a family thing.
Cordially, Os Silva”
If, on the one hand, we have the genetic randomness that directs the physical and behavioral part of a relative who will always have a family bond with you (regardless of whether you like them or not); on the other hand, in a company, we have the selection process made up of the “yes” of both the candidate who chose the company to work for and the company that identified good qualities in that candidate.
Organizational interactions can be terminated at any time by both parties and for various reasons. The relationship between contractor and client is not one of love and loyalty. It’s an exchange with agreements, from production to deliveries and money. And it’s okay if that relationship no longer makes sense for one of the parties involved. The end of this contract it’s not betrayal.
We can’t fall into the trap of an exaggerated sense of “family” loyalty. The idealization of infinite loyalty can throw us into the ditch of toxic relationships (I know… that expression is already saturated, but it fits here) and servitude.
In view of this, it’s important to ask ourselves honestly: Is it a good thing to see ourselves as a family in the workplace?
Contrary to popular belief, in order to live in a healthy organizational environment it’s important to remember that, no matter how incredible the people we work with are, they are not our family and, believe me, that’s good for everyone.
Gabriela Ioshimoto, CPO at Scooto.