People. People. People.
Brené Brown once described the moment she stood before a large audience filled with impressive titles and credentials. Her coping thought? “People. People. People.” It was a grounding mantra, a reminder that behind every title, accolade, and role, we are all just human. That sentiment resonates deeply in today’s world, where competing ideals and narratives often drown out our shared humanity.
Strip away the titles. Remove the status. What remains are people with basic needs, emotions, and aspirations. So why do titles, wealth, or status often grant one person more voice than another? Should they? And are we, collectively, guilty of reinforcing these dynamics by lending more ear to those with perceived power?
These power dynamics don’t just shape society; they shape our workplaces. We can debate endlessly about which leadership styles or organizational structures are most effective. Or we can lean into a simple truth: teams that treat each other as “just people” are more successful.
Don’t believe me? Here are the statistics:
Only 40% of U.S. workers hold “quality jobs” that meet basic criteria like autonomy, safety, and growth.
Employee engagement in the U.S. has dropped to 32%, near a 10-year low. Gallup links this decline to a lack of connection, trust, and recognition. Things that flourish when people are treated with dignity, not hierarchy.
Career development is the top reason employees leave their jobs, according to the Pew Research Center. When people feel unseen or unheard, they disengage or walk away.
70% of the variance in employee engagement is attributed to managers, meaning leadership behavior, especially how they treat people, has a massive impact on team success.
Empathetic leadership and inclusive cultures are directly tied to retention, innovation, and performance, according to Forbes. When people feel safe and valued, they thrive.
The takeaway?
When we prioritize connection over hierarchy, empathy over ego, and humanity over status, we create environments where people thrive, not just as professionals, but as people.
So next time you walk into a meeting, a presentation, or a conversation, remember Brené’s words:
People. People. People.