I had a quick talk with a colleague today about standing at work. It was one of those “small conversations” that somehow lands like a big one.
I started by venting a little. I told him how I’ve been wondering why top management seems to make things harder for our team—more pressure, more checking in, and at times it even feels like we’re being micro-managed. What makes it worse is seeing that other teams don’t get the same treatment. It’s exhausting, and honestly, it can mess with your confidence if you let it.
Then my colleague said something simple: “I think it’s because they’re just stepping on our weakness.”
That line hit me. Not because it excused the pressure, but because it reframed it. There are people who drown under stress, and others who somehow use it as fuel. I realized I’ve been spending too much energy asking, “Why are they like this?” instead of asking, “What can we strengthen?”
And maybe that’s the point. If there’s a gap in our team—skills, process, communication, consistency—then pressure will always find it. Complaining might feel good for five minutes, but improving closes the target.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer
So today I’m choosing a mindset shift: less resentment, more responsibility. Let’s fix what we can fix. Let’s get better where we’re weak. Strong enough that the narrative changes—and the way we’re treated changes with it.
Have a great day!
Link to the source of the image.