Action is Required

The absence of punishment is not enough. 
I find myself repeating the same sentence a lot recently in response to a story I continue to hear. 
I heard it from a school administrator and coaches this last week and from the department head of a hospital on the west coast, an HR executive in Virginia and a small business owner locally. 
Across the country, the stories match. 
I’m so curious if you have heard it too.
The story goes like this…
“ Well, Becky, I can tell you that I do not punish kids who do not attend optional practices. It is against school policy and I follow that rule. So if parents and kids are saying that by having optional practices, that I’m not supporting mental health- they are wrong. I don’t punish kids who don’t come- what else can I do?” 
“ I have told the employees that if they choose to leave at 5, they won’t be punished come promotion time.” 
“ I have told residents that it is okay to not take extra shifts and spend time with family and it won’t impact their evaluations or future job placement here.” 
The absence of punishment isn’t enough. 
Because when there isn’t something there, we fill the space with details and data from past experiences. We look for the punishment, for any evidence to back up the story we are telling ourselves. 
What do we do then? 
We need to acknowledge, reward, incentivize people to prioritize their mental health. 
And I’m not talking about anything big here – we often forget how powerful the small things are. 
Send an email, have a conversation, recognizing that you not only approve but are proud of their decision to go home in time for dinner, to not come to optional practice, to not pick up another shift. 
Recognize and praise those who prioritize mental health in front of others. 
Normalize it.
And do it yourself. Because if you are not leading by example, how will those around you trust that you believe in its importance? 
The absence of punishment is not enough to change the culture. 
Action is required. 

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About Becky

Becky Schmooke (pronounced “Smoke”) is a Mindful Leadership Consultant and Speaker, focused on providing action based mindfulness and leadership training to organizations and businesses who are ready to do things differently.

Becky’s Mindful Kitchen, is located outside of Iowa City, and provides truly unique team building and leadership retreats, strategic planning workshops, private parties and classes and weekly summer camps for kids. The commercial teaching kitchen, treehouse, archery range, bush craft skills, first aid training, wood fired pizza oven, chickens, baby goats and timber adventure playground provides endless opportunities for hands on activities.

As a mom to three girls, 60 chickens, 4 goats, 2 dogs and a fire fighter’s wife- life is never boring and provides Becky with endless stories which she uses to illustrate her approach to mindfulness in daily posts on social media.

In all that she does, Becky has one goal, to build confidence in others to take action to live their best life, not just pass time.

Follow For Daily Posts and Baby Goat Videos!

About Becky

In all that she does, Becky has one goal, to build confidence in others to take action to live their best life, not just pass time.