Containment Culture
Finley stands with his back to the viewer, looking into an open office refrigerator.

Donna approaches the office refrigerator area, which has been blocked off with black-and-yellow caution tape. Finley is still facing into the refrigerator. The caution tape remains in place around the refrigerator. Finley, still facing away, shouts, "Stay back!" Finley turns around wearing a gas mask and holding a small yogurt container with metal tongs. He says, "Drew's yogurt expired at 9:07!"

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Containment Culture

Donna Lake Headshot

From Donna's Desk:

Containment Culture

There are two kinds of people in an office: the ones who see expired yogurt and think, “Gross,” and the ones who see expired yogurt and build a perimeter.

Finley is our Safety Committee Chair, which means his brain doesn’t register “minor issue.” It registers “incident,” then starts writing the deposition in his head.

As a leader, I’m trying to hold the middle: appreciate the prevention without letting anxiety manage the  building. Because sometimes the tape isn’t about dairy. It’s about control. It’s about making one small thing feel containable when everything else isn’t.

So I’m curious:

Who’s the “tape and perimeter” person where you work? (Aliases welcome)

What tiny thing became a full event?

And how do you hold your center without letting panic run the office?

Donna