At Naqsmist, our team is small but mighty. We all wear a number of hats to get things done, and have worked hard to establish an internal support network where we understand what part each of us plays, so that nobody feels isolated in their role. Being a small team also means that when someone is absent or has to take an extended step back from work, their absence is felt, and we need to reorganize and reprioritize. There are no small roles at Naqsmist, and so being down a team member has the potential for disaster, but we can’t work from a place of fear or control and have to trust ourselves and our support structures we’ve put in place. Honoring the four Protocols of Cultivating Safe Spaces: Well-being, Freedom, Validation, and Inclusion, means that when someone on our team is going through something hard or consuming, we prioritize loving support so that they can take the time to step back from work and do what they need to get through hard times. When someone on our team is going through health troubles, family events or issues, grief and loss, trauma, transitions or life changes, or anything that depletes energy and capacity and hinders our ability to be present and productive, we are encouraged to take a step back and prioritize healing and well-being. 

The Four Protocols give us the basis and belief system to make these decisions to prioritize humanness, but sometimes adjusting to the changes that come with this can be difficult as well. This is where the Four Necessary Conditions come in. By working under Four Necessary Conditions, we have already laid the foundation to be successful. These are not practices we enact only when things are hard, but fundamental ways of being that guide us in the day to day and shape how we work with one another. Lets look at how each of the Four Necessary Conditions can support us when we’re down a team member (or two, as we are right now at Naqsmist). 

Understanding Self.  

Understanding who we are, how we share space and interact with others allows us to navigate difficult situations with more trust, love, and connection. It also means understanding our own patterns, values, and the things that trigger us. Without that kind of awareness, it’s easy to react from a place of fear or emotion instead of grounded presence. Because our team practices Understanding Self, we have the capacity to support one another. The news that important people in the workplace need to step back can instill panic. We might think to ourselves “I already have so much on my plate, how can I be expected to take on the work of others?” But when we know our roles, gifts, capacity, and what we can bring to support a space, we feel in control of our own reality and able to reach out to support others in ways that support the resilience of the group. 

When we hear that someone on the team needs to step back, we don't panic about what will be added to our plate. We think “where do I know that I can step in to help?” Understanding Self also means knowing enough about your role and scope to know what you can let go of. One week, a project might feel like the most important and time-sensitive part of your job. But when it comes time to rearrange and pivot towards supporting others, Understanding Self means knowing when to let go and take the time needed to step into support roles. The more we can recognize our emotional patterns and biases, the more we can contribute to healthier, safer, and more connected spaces where we feel supported and have the bandwidth to support others.

Love-based Practice

When we hear that someone at work needs to take a step back, our first reaction has to be to care for the person. We offer love and good thoughts so that the person knows that while they step back, they are being thought of with love and their well-being is being prioritized. Love-Based Practice is a shift away from control and toward care. We support one another because we honor each other, our support is an act of love. 

Inclusion

Inclusion also means that we feel supported and safe when we need to take a step back. We know that our colleagues have our back, and that no one feels hostile or hurt by our absence. We know that our team won’t let things fall apart, and that the weight is being taken off our shoulders so that we can be present in the time we need to deal with the things we are dealing with. We often see workplace cultures that rely on authority arranged in ranks, control, and fear-based decision making. But through a Love-based Practice, we can cultivate environments where validation, trust, and meaningful connection are at the heart of the way we work together. Our workplaces have the ability to switch from a model of top-down hierarchy to a circle of support.  

Patience

When we have to shift our priorities and take on new roles to support one another, practicing Patience is a huge part of prioritizing well-being and ensuring the success of the team. The transition might be messy and imperfect. Some things might have to take the back burner in order to ensure that operations as a whole continue. We might have to recalibrate our priorities and rethink the structure of how we work together. Reprioritzing takes a lot of Patience, it asks us to slow down, assess the situation, and pivot our actions and roles into ones of support. We may need to take on new roles and responsibilities for a certain amount of time, and practicing Patience also means allowing yourself the grace and understanding that this transition might not be seamless or quick. 

Patience is how we show care when it’s not convenient. It asks us to slow down. To hold people even when they’re struggling. It means giving ourselves and others room to breathe when our first instinct might be to move forward quickly or dash to get all the work of the company done at once. Patience helps us deepen our understanding of ourselves and others and navigate challenges with care and understanding. It means taking the time to sit down together and say “here’s where we are and what is needed” and have the conversations needed to arrange structures that get the work done in a way that prioritizes one another.

Disciplined Listening

When things get hard, it’s easy to stop listening. We shut down. We try to move on. We talk over people. This is about being truly present, not just hearing someone, but actually listening to what they’re saying and how they’re saying it. Sometimes, this is how we can recognize when a colleague needs to take a step back and take the time they need to rest and heal. If we aren’t able to listen to each other with Discipline, we will miss cues that tell us where someone might need support, or where we might need to reassess and do things differently. 

In harder times, when we’re taking on extra responsibilities and capacity is low, we also have to remember to listen with Discipline to one another. Maybe someone said they could take on extra tasks, but is now feeling the weight and starting to burnout. Listening to how they speak can tell us a lot about where they’re at and gives us the opportunity to notice and offer support. Disciplined listening is about being truly present, not just hearing someone, but actually listening to what they’re saying and how they’re saying it. If we want to truly hear and understand one another, listening can’t be passive, it’s an active practice that requires discipline, presence, and intentionality. When we listen deeply, we create workplaces where all voices matter and collaboration thrives.