Elmo Knows You Need A Hand
Elmo, everyone's favorite 3rd person talking puppet, took to X a couple of weeks ago and posted a very innocent question.
Unbeknownst to Elmo (and his PR team) the question exploded over social media. Over 20,000 replies (including the President) and over 200M views later the results were both sobering and sad.
Removing the humorous or playful responses the net effect was we have a large sample size of the populace that's in pain. And not just everyday folks but celebrities and the rich and famous. It seems Elmo opened the floodgates and a lot of difficult emotions came crashing through.
This should not surprise us. Studies continue to show that we are struggling as a society with our mental health and well-being. Here are just a few...
Harvard study on being isolated at work
Axios' report on America's growing mental health crisis
领英推荐
The negative effect of social media on mental health
But the outcome of Elmo's tweet wasn't entirely negative. One theme that came from the responses was an important one: gratitude. People had an appreciation that someone would ask (I know it was a puppet) how they were doing. It's a simple question but it can make an important difference in an individual's life.
It sounds small but it isn't. How you interact with people, the care you show for them, and your willingness to listen make a lasting impact. Life is a team sport and we all need our people. Being shown simple acts of caring goes a long way.
The fallout from Elmo's tweet shows we have a ways go when it comes to providing mental health support. The good news is there are a lot of organizations that are striving to close gaps in mental health care and introduce new modalities to increase care access (I happen to work for one). So while that journey continues we can take solace in that we can make a difference in those we interact with every day. Just by asking a simple question...
How are you doing today?
Remember If you face a life challenge before going to Google please contact your EAP provider. EAP can help you with everything from "help my teen is from another planet" to creating a will or finding a daycare center. Not sure who your EAP provider is? Contact your HR rep and they will help you out.
Until next time take care of yourself and always remember you matter.
Results driven leader with a diverse background in retail, health, telecom, and State and Federal government. Seeking a management role in Strategic Partnerships, Projects, Operations, or a Chief of Staff position.
1 年Last week as I read the post and responses, tears ran down my face. The heartfelt comments were sometimes difficult but needed to be read. It was amazing that all it took was someone to ask us how we were doing. It also showed the trust that had been built through the Sesame Street characters. So many lessons.
Healthcare Customer Analytics Executive | Vice President, Voice of Customer
1 年Not my best day Elmo