Positive Minds | Positive Quotes | Edition 018

This morning I had a passionate conversation with Talia Zongia, a colleague who chose me as her mentor. Talia is a bright, talented young woman constantly exploring new and sometimes unconventional ways of doing her job. She is the Human Resources Coordinator for the IRC in CAR.

Yesterday, she shared photos and videos of staff awareness-raising sessions she runs in field offices to promote a safe and friendly workplace and talk about the organisation's values and professional code of conduct, among other things. I saw people singing, dancing, playing and laughing out loud, and I could see happy employees with a sense of belonging.

I was curious to know more. After a few exchanges on WhatsApp, I called her and said, "Talia, it's faster and more engaging to talk than to type messages". Then followed a long conversation about the photos and videos.

Ultimately, it all boils down to organisational culture and how we, especially the leaders, treat our people. Then, Talia said something that blew my mind: "Employees are like snails". 

I asked her to elaborate. She explained it brilliantly:

"I love snails. Do you know why? Because snails adapt to their environment. They stay in their shells until the environment is safe. Employees do the same".

In the above quote, I summarise everything Talia said. The credit goes to her.

Talia and I are interested in your thoughts on building an organisational culture that inspires employees to come out of their shells and thrive. Share your thoughts in the comments box.