Moving from Doing to Being: Reclaiming Presence in a Productivity-Fixated World

The journey to (re)defining what it means to be productive is long and winding. We live in a culture that worships at the altar of productivity. From the moment we clock in, we're measured by output, deliverables, and visible action. But what happens when our relentless focus on doing limits our capacity for growth, innovation, and meaningful connection?

Why Workplace Cultures Reward "Doing"

Our modern workplace operates on capitalist principles that equate human value with economic output. Time is money, productivity is king, and being "busy" is a badge of honor. This system thrives on measurable metrics--emails sent, meetings attended, projects completed--maybe because they're easy to quantify and compare.

But here's what gets lost:

• The quiet moments of reflection that spark breakthrough ideas

• The pause before responding that reduced interpersonal misunderstandings

• The space for listening deeply that builds trust across diverse perspectives.

When we prioritize doing over being, we inadvertently create workplace cultures that:

• Reward reactive rather than reflective responses

• Value speed over thoughtful consideration of different viewpoints

• Measure success by individual output rather than collective understanding

• Leave little room for developing intercultural awareness

This productivity fixation becomes particularly problematic in our increasingly diverse workplaces. Intercultural competence requires presence, curiosity, and the ability to sit with uncertainty--qualities that are often overlooked in our focus on doing.

The Hidden Cost of Constant Motion

When we're always in doing mode, we miss the subtle cultural cues that inform effective collaboration. We rush through conversations without noticing communication style differences. We implement solutions without considering how they might land differently across cultural contexts. We mistake activity for progress, even when that activity perpetuates exclusion or misunderstanding.

The irony? Our fixation with doing often makes us less effective at the very outcomes we're trying to achieve.

Three Practical Exercises: Deepening Your Practice

Exercise 1: The Cultural Pause

Before entering any meeting or important conversation, especially with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds (to understand what I mean by cultural backgrounds, you can check out this explanation of terms), take three conscious breaths and ask yourself:

• What assumptions am I bringing into this interaction?

• How might my communication style need to adapt?

• What would it look like to listen for understanding rather than agreement?

Practice this for one week and notice how it changes both the quality of your interactions and your awareness of cultural dynamics at play.

Exercise 2: The Being-Based Check-In

Start meetings with a two-minute "being-based" check-in where each person shares:

• How they're showing up today (not what they accomplished)

• One thing they're curious about (in relation to the workflow)

• What they need from the group to do their best thinking (during the meeting)

This practice creates space for different cultural approaches to relationship-building and helps surface diverse perspectives before diving into task-focused work.

Exercise 3: The Intercultural Reflection Journal

At the end of each workday, spend five minutes writing about:

1. One moment when cultural differences showed up (overtly or subtly)

2. How your doing mindset might have prevented a deeper understanding

3. What you might have learned if you'd approached the situation from being

4. One small way you could create more space for cross-cultural learning tomorrow

Moving Forward: From Individual Practice to Organizational Change

Shifting from doing to being isn't just about personal transformation--it's about creating workplace cultures that value presence, reflection, and intercultural understanding as much as productivity and output.

When we make space for being, we create conditions for:

• More thoughtful responses to interpersonal conflicts

• Deeper appreciation for diverse thinking styles

• Innovation that emerges from cross-cultural collaboration

• Sustainable approaches to change that honor different ways of working

Ready to Transform Your Approach?

Developing intercultural competence requires exactly this kind of mindset shift--from doing to being. If you're ready to explore how this transformation could impact your leadership, your team, or your organization, I'd love to support your journey.

Through 1:1 Cultural Competency Coaching (CCC), you'll gain insight into how your doing/being balance affects your intercultural effectiveness, identify development goals that matter to you, and engage in targeted efforts that increase your ability to bridge across diverse communities.

Schedule a conversation to explore!