Thanks John for the always thoughtful response.

This one nailed it for me:
"We have to let go of the idea that what we know is all we need to know."

I know the company I worked for was not unique, but I will speak from my experience. I would run into leaders and executives who wouldn't acknowledge my presence. If they were put in a position where it would have been more awkward to not speak, they didn't know what to say. COME ON. A leader who thinks they don't have anything to learn from her or his employees is courting trouble.

I'll quote Ray Croc again, "When you're green, you're growing. When you're ripe, you'll rot."

It's one of the reasons I won't let go of advocating for a pro-human workplace. It starts with the individual, including a leader. People take their cues from you. And you can't give what you don't have (humanity, respect, dignity, thoughtfulness, I could go on...). Being human at work doesn't mean a person has to overshare, but consider what it would mean to be more human at work. A good start is by reflecting on that list in your response. Sorry, tangent.

Thanks again, John.