I think it can go without saying, 2020 was a hell of a year. It was full of more pivots and changes than I have experienced in my lifetime. For so many, it was incredibly difficult. For others, the year ushered in some amazing events. For me, 2020 was a complete and total transformation, in ways that I am still unable to describe.
I worked with a lot of clients this year from many parts of the world. It was an incredible year professionally. It was not without challenges. As I pulled together my year-end report for my boss, I hit save and then said, “Holy…” You can guess the rest. It was empowering to see in writing the successes that were had. New clients, new projects, successful research, new students, grants to help with the pandemic, successful transition…and so much more. From a personal standpoint, I can look back NOW (ha) and say, “It was an amazing year.” The lived experience of the year, though, was incredibly hard. Amazing doesn’t come easy, does it?!
The lived experience is a representation of our life – the experiences and choices – and the knowledge we gain from our lived experience. In essence, it is our lens of the world, how we see the world, how we experience the world. It is personal, it is ours, and it is our reality. I study the lived experience of people to understand different kinds of phenomenon of life. I love numbers and quantitative data, but there is nothing like the story of someone’s life, their lived experience. There is so much knowledge to be gathered from a person’s story. What I appreciate most about the study of a person’s lived experience is the compassion I gain. I am opened to new experiences and insight that are experienced by others, and it makes me more understanding, helps me learn more about humans and their life experiences, and gives me insight into how I can help those around me, how I can help them tap into their strengths and opportunities. It is truly a marvelous way to study human behavior.
The lived experience of so many this year has been incredible. The knowledge that is gained from our lived experience in 2020 I am hopeful will result in some of the most positive growth as a world that we will see. This pandemic, this year has exposed the cracks in everything that surrounds us, including ourselves. The lived experience of this pandemic has exposed the cracks in our personal lives, our families, our jobs, our organizations, our supply chains, our education systems, our governments…everything. The exposure was ROUGH for all of us because none of us like learning about our faults, limitations, mistakes, and more. But here’s the thing. The exposure of those cracks also opened opportunities in ways we might have ever considered. The successes of so many this year and in this disruptive time have shown some of the most innovative creativity I have seen in a long time. It is quite fun to see and experience. I do not dismiss the hardship in any way for anyone. This year has not seen success for far too many (in my opinion). I want us to learn more from the lived experiences of this year and use that knowledge to make our lives better, our organizations better, and our world better.
As leaders, our lived experiences affect us just like any other person (remember, you are human). We take the knowledge from our lived experience to work daily. Our lived experiences are so different from those who work with and for us (because again, human). As you venture into 2021, I hope you will remember the lived experience. I hope you will tap into that compassion and understanding of the lived experience of others. I am not saying you do not hold people to expectation. What I am asking is that you remember the humans who are working with and for you. Remember, the knowledge from everyone’s lived experience can bring about the most positive change, products, innovation, experiences, services, and so much more.
Let us come together in 2021 and utilize the knowledge we have learned from this year to heal the cracks, seal them, or maybe just spruce them up, give them a little love.
Wishing all of you an incredible holiday season. I honor your lived experience, I want to hear about your lived experience, and I want to help you learn more and grow from your lived experience. May you find joy, peace, and healing.
I look forward to hearing from you and helping you navigate the exciting waters of 2021.
If you are interested in learning more about the study of the lived experience, please check these resources.
Bentz, V., & Shapiro, J. (1998). Mindful inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Rehorick, D., & Bentz, V. M. (Eds.)(2008). Transformative phenomenology: Changing ourselves, lifeworlds and professional practice. Latham, MD: Lexington Books.
Schutz, A. (1970). On phenomenology and social relations: Selected writings. (H. Wagner, Ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Van Manen, M. (1997). Researching lived experiences: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy (2nd ed.). London: ON: University of Western Ontario.