This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.

If your workplace is like mine, the mood this week is decidedly different from the last. There is a kind of low fog among us as colleagues attempt to make sense of recent events in the Middle East—particularly a brutal and unprovoked terrorist attack on innocent people that has been broadcast across social media.  

“I'm struggling to focus…” 

“I’m feeling distracted…” 

“It’s all so much to process…” 
 

Comments like these began showing up in meetings, over Teams, and on Slack, as we watched the unfolding war further take over our feeds, our conversations, and our mental focus.  

As Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League noted on MSNBC this weekend:  “As soon as the fighting started, we saw hundreds and hundreds of messages surge on telegrams in semi-public chat rooms. We saw organized waves of antisemitism on X, Instagram, TikTok...This is the TikTok war.”  He then continued:  “Hate speech is the price of free speech. But incitement to violence is not some kind of protected free expression.” 

His interview is nearly impossible to watch and essential to watch. Because the reality is this situation is complex and heartbreaking and bound to get worse before it gets better. The harder reality is that it’s not the only pressing matter on our minds these days. These days, in fact, there are no shortage of pressing matters, and each one of us is experiencing our own set of them, each in our own way. 

But how to acknowledge or communicate this truth in the workplace?  You can start by checking in.
 

Checking in with your colleagues and acknowledging that it is normal and understandable to be feeling the effects of this conflict is a compassionate and empathetic response at a time when many are simply trying to process it all. 

If you’re struggling to find the words to check in with your colleagues, I’ve offered some starter words below. They’re not perfect, but they are designed as a reminder of just how important it is to communicate with compassion and empathy in the workplace, these days and every day. These words are also a reminder that saying nothing says something, too (as I shared in this related blog)—it just may not be the message your team needs from you right now.  

Here are some conversation starters to get you going: 

• I know we called this meeting for other reasons, but I wanted to start simply by checking in. How are you doing today? 

• I know how difficult it can be to focus during uncertain times like these. Perhaps we consider shifting some timelines to give us all some time to process current events. 

• Processing emotions in times like this can be hard. If you need extra space this week, know that I support you, and will back you up as needed. 

This isn’t everything, but it is something. As my daughter says, “One kind act matters, but many kind acts can change the world.” 

Do what you can, where you can, from wherever you are, to check in on those around you this week. And check in on yourself, too.      

• Track the news from sources outside of social media, where the flow of mis and disinformation can shape how we understand this situation and many others.  

• Turn off your social media streams and focus on verified sources of news and information.  

• Turn your attention to the people most impacted by the situation and stay grounded in their stories. 

Bottom Line: Checking in may not change the big things, but it will matter deeply to those around you, who need to feel and see that you understand the weight of this time. And maybe that’s something good to hold onto in these uncertain times. 

This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.