"Chum Bucket" Protocol (Funny) + Real

I had an employee leave me after 5+ years.
She broke the news in during our weekly huddle.
She was sad.
I was shocked, then sad.
She started to cry.
I cried on the inside.
We prayed together.
We poured our hearts out to each other.
It was a beautiful parting of way.
God's hand was in this.
Despite what my fleshy mind wanted to say, I knew it was the right thing.

On Friday, her last day, we had a "I love you", "Wish You Well" Zoom party from the team.
My project manager put together a beautiful farewell video from every team member.
She cried while watching it.
It touched my heart.
It moved many others.

Then the next week rolled around.
The first day without her.
It was "GO" time for our team as we shifted roles and responsibilities.
Everyone had an increase in workload.
New unknown territory.
Overwhelm kicked in for our team.

In our meeting, I can hear and feel the stress in my team's voice.
I wasn't helping.
I can get a little "amped" up on things. (I'm sure you don't have this problem ^_-)
This process revealed inefficiencies and broken pieces in our workflow.
I was out of line and caught myself.

After confessing and apologizing, we talked from the heart as a group.
We needed an outlet.
A safe space to say "I'm overwhelmed" or "I need help".

So we created the "Chum Bucket".
This is from the kids cartoon "Spongebob".
In that cartoon show, the Chum Bucket is a depressing restaurant with awful atmosphere and awful food.
It's so bad it's comical.

Perfect! Comical.
Laughing is good.
I wanted all of us to laugh and have joy through this transition.
We all 100% agreed "Chum Bucket" was the perfect name.

If anyone has anything that is overwhelming, they put it on the Chum Bucket list.
Every day during our huddle, we can review our Chum Bucket together.
It's great.
The team has a place to put their "chum" (their overload items, fears, unknowns) and we get to talk it out.
It's fun.
It's productive.
It's healthy.

So 4 lessons I got from this...

1) Watch myself.
I exert aggressively under pressure without knowing it.
It's not always healthy

2) Apologize easily.
Don't be prideful.
Own up to the hurt I caused others even if I think it's small. If left unchecked, it can fester and rot away from the inside out.

3) Create an outlet.
Make a safe place people can go to be vulnerable.
This is our Chum Bucket that we can discuss every day and be kind.

I have a great team.
No one is a slacker.
We all give our 100%.

So there's no need to act/react like someone isn't working "hard enough".
Allow vulnerability.
Create psychological safety.

4.) Create a Safeword.
Knowing, I get excitable, I give my team permission to "check me" when I get out of line.
We agreed on the word "PAUSE" followed by "Asking for patience".
This will alert me to know my teammate needs me to chill out!

I trust them.
They trust me.
We'll get through this and even better stronger and more efficient than ever before.
It'll be great.

I'm thankful to God for these challenges.
He's refining and shaping me and my business.
I welcome it.
I choose to trust Him.
He is my lord and savior.
He provided my daily bread.
I adore him and seek his presence.
I hope you do too.

Let me know your thought.
I welcome it.
Thanks and have a great day!