Michael Lissack
3. Be Flexible in Altering What is Foreground and What is Background
The great picture may be the sunset, but your spouse wants to be in- cluded. The camera of life is flexible enough to accommodate both within a short timeframe. If Kodak can do it, so can you. If you like, think of it as flickering a diamond's many facets to catch the light best. This flexibility has become particularly crucial in hybrid work ar- rangements, where individuals may need to rapidly shift between profes- sional, domestic, and personal roles throughout a single day. The parent who conducts a client video call, helps with homework, returns to focused work, and attends a virtual team meeting—all within a few hours—is constantly reconfiguring which aspects of their identity are foregrounded. Organizations that create policies and norms supporting this flexibility typically experience higher engagement and retention compared to those that insist on rigid role separation.
4. Create Social Support Systems for Role Transitions
While much of role management is individual, it also requires social support. Establish explicit communication protocols with colleagues, family members, and others in your role network to facilitate smooth transitions between different role configurations. For example, some organizations have adopted "role signaling" prac- tices where team members explicitly indicate which aspect of their role they're currently emphasizing—"I'm in strategic planning mode today" or "I'm focused on client support this afternoon." These signals help oth- ers adjust their expectations and interactions accordingly, reducing the friction of role transitions.
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