

In Part 2, here are FOUR steps to take you conversation and work relationships to the next level:

  • LISTEN FIRST: As outlined in Part 1, listening FIRST is important and a necessity right now.  You’ll be able to move the conversation forward once you have listened.  Go ahead, listen and share your experiences. We are all in this together albeit we are all in it in different ways.  Sometimes when you hear about how others are coping with everything you will feel better about your situation.
  • AT YOUR BEST: Asking others when they were at their best THIS WEEK can help uncover ways to work together more effectively.  Perhaps they share a similar energizing activity or strength or maybe it’s totally opposite of what you would say would be your best.  Can you provide any resources to support them?  As you learn more about how your unique strengths can play together to get things done you will get more things done together.
  • DRAINERS: As changes in work routines evolve, draining activities can become readily apparent.  It’s ok to share these energy sapping activities with each other so you can brainstorm on ways to trade work activities (if allowed), learn some new skill, or consider a way of doing something that makes it less draining, or help each other reframe the draining activity.  This is how you deal with drainers so they don’t get in the way of your success.
  • OVERDRIVE: Change can open the door for the prickly consequences of strengths going into overdrive.  It can happen to anyone. When a strength is overdone, there is a price to pay.  Being mindful of the fact that CHANGE alone can be a trigger can help you get in front of it before the negative consequences show up.

These FOUR simple steps can help you build a deeper awareness of how you can work more effectively with others now and into the future of work.  Imagine a world where you have a deep understanding of what truly energizes others and how that compares to what energizes you?  Now is the time to connect in ways that won’t even be possible when the busyness of business once again takes over our lives.