Let Them See You Sweat

Maybe you have been next to the guy in the gym that is panting and gasping for air, wearing a shirt that is essentially stuck to him with sweat. Yeah, I’m that guy. I sweat. A lot. So, my anxiety goes up when the television ad says, “Never let them see you sweat!” The problem for me is, undoubtedly, I’m already sweating.

My experience as a leader suggests the exact opposite to those ubiquitous ads. Not only should you let them see you sweat, employees invest much more in the organization and with each other when they sweat together. If I’m honest, I mean this both literally and figuratively. Three important reasons to let them see you sweat

1) Team Connection

Even working in a white collar job, some of the most powerful moments I had with teammates were moments in service projects. It was serving together and sweating side-by-side when we felt the most connected to each other as we sought to accomplish a goal – usually a project NOT benefitting our organization – by wielding shovels and mixing and pouring concrete. Connection also happened during valuable times in staff retreats when we would sweat together by having fun, doing things like playing volleyball or frisbee. When I ponder significant moments of team connection, there is something about sweating together that is vital.

2) Sharing in Accomplishments In our professional environments, we sweat together by getting close in order to solve problems and accomplish goals that we would not be able to accomplish if left to ourselves. Highly functional teams are filled with individuals willing to let their co-workers see them sweat as they put their gifts and talents into play in the best way possible. There have been times when executing on a strategy that I’m in a “gross sweat” mode because I don’t naturally have the required skill-set. In that moment, I notice co-workers are working hard, but, unlike me, they “gliss-a-ning”. That’s how I describe those moments when teammates are thriving at some of the things that I might struggle with, or at least I would have to work a lot harder to execute it as well as they do.

3) Demonstrating Vulnerability Deodorant commercials give the impression that we should never let others see us struggle in a difficult situation. I would actually say the opposite is true. When we are having a hard time, it is invaluable to let our co-workers see it, and even to ask for help. Demonstrating vulnerability in the workplace allows others—especially subordinates—to see no one is infallible. Showing the sweat marks and admitting difficulty can release the pressure of always performing perfectly, in order to give employees room to grow into their strengths. But, it’s impossible to do that without first exposing weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

To sum up: What’s important is that we are close enough to each other to see each other sweat. When we do so, it helps us move past the assumptions that we tend to make about who is and isn’t working hard. It moves us past assumptions on who is committed and who isn’t. Perhaps more importantly, it draws teams closer together.