The Future of Work | JEN FISHER | TEDxMiami

Summary

Jen Fisher shares her personal journey of battling cancer and burnout, exploring how both shaped her understanding of well-being and leadership. She reflects on the misconceptions of success and the toll overwork takes on mental health. Fisher advocates for a shift in workplace culture, where well-being is prioritized and burnout is treated as seriously as physical illness. By encouraging leaders to foster human sustainability and challenging outdated work models, she envisions a future where well-being is not a luxury, but an integral part of our work lives.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Overcoming adversity: The speaker faced a cancer diagnosis, which shifted her mindset and helped her grow as a leader.
• 💪 Resilience: Despite being unwell, the speaker continued to work, setting boundaries and prioritizing rest during her cancer treatment.
• 🏆 Redefining leadership: Her experience with cancer made her a better leader by emphasizing that well-being isn't about luxury but daily decisions, especially during tough times.
• 🔥 Burnout vs Cancer: While cancer was a visible challenge, the speaker identified burnout as a harder, invisible struggle that people often don't talk about.
• 🔄 Changing perspectives: The speaker realized that success isn't just about hard work and high performance. Many high performers are actually unwell.
• ⚡ Importance of boundaries: The speaker emphasized the need to set and communicate boundaries, comparing how people allow themselves to rest with cancer but not burnout.
• 👥 Leadership evolution: The skills needed for leadership are shifting, with more emphasis on human skills, such as fostering well-being and supporting others, not just focusing on bottom lines.
• 🚨 Systemic burnout: Burnout is a systemic issue, not an individual's problem. Workplaces need systemic changes to support human sustainability.
• 🤝 Work redesign: The speaker believes that work needs an upgrade. The current system doesn't support well-being, and organizations should co-create solutions for better work conditions.
• 🌱 Future of work: The speaker predicts that future generations will look back at today's work culture with shock and see this time as the beginning of a shift towards prioritizing well-being.

Q & A

What was the initial health concern that Jen Fisher faced?

Jen Fisher found a lump, which led to a mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, and eventually a cancer diagnosis.

How did Jen's boss respond when she considered stepping down from her role due to her illness?

Jen's boss told her that stepping down would be a mistake and that her experience could help her become a better leader. He emphasized that wellbeing is not just about luxury but about the daily choices we make, especially during tough times.

How did Jen Fisher’s mindset change after talking to her boss?

After her boss's encouraging words, Jen shifted from a fear of dying to believing that her cancer had a purpose, which helped her continue working and manage her health.

What personal boundaries did Jen Fisher establish during her cancer treatment?

Jen was careful about what she said yes to, always made time for rest, and ensured that everyone respected her boundaries.

What does Jen mean when she says ‘burnout was harder than cancer’?

Jen felt that burnout was more difficult because it was invisible and not widely recognized, unlike cancer, which allowed her to openly seek help and rest.

What realization helped Jen not quit her career due to burnout?

A wise mentor helped Jen realize that quitting wouldn't solve her problems and that the real issue was how the workplace treated burnout and well-being.

How does Jen describe the workplace’s current approach to burnout?

Jen explains that burnout is often treated as a temporary issue that can be fixed with rest or vacations, but it requires deeper systemic changes in the workplace to address its root causes.

What is Jen's view on productivity and well-being in business?

Jen argues that productivity doesn't always equal well-being, and people can perform well while being incredibly unwell, highlighting the need for businesses to reconsider this relationship.

What leadership qualities does Jen believe are essential today?

Jen believes today's leaders should possess 'human skills,' focusing on people’s well-being, rewarding the growth of individuals, and fostering human sustainability over just financial success.

What long-term societal change does Jen foresee regarding workplace well-being?

Jen predicts that in the future, society will look back on today's workplace burnout with shock, just as we now view working conditions during the industrial revolution, and that well-being will eventually become a core outcome of work.