Feel Like You're Wearing a "Cone of Shame"?

Recently, I took my baby girl in for her spay. She came home groggy, sad-eyed, and sporting the dreaded plastic cone. The look she gave me said: “How could you do this to me?”

It made me wonder—do people ever feel like that at work?

The cone is meant to protect and help. But from her perspective, it felt awkward and isolating. And sometimes, our work environments unintentionally do the same.

Maybe it’s the way feedback is delivered. Or how a new idea gets shut down in a meeting. Or the silence that follows when someone takes a risk.

It might not be a physical cone, but it feels just as visible. Shame. Self-doubt. Disconnection.

So how do we help remove it?

✨ We listen without judgment. ✨ We encourage risk-taking and celebrate learning. ✨ We create cultures of empathy—not embarrassment.

The cone won’t last forever. But the way we support each other during vulnerable moments? That can make all the difference.

Have you ever worn a “cone of shame” at work? How did you take it off—or help someone else remove theirs?

#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #EmpathyAtWork #GrowthMindset #HumpDayMotivation