Category Archives: Ways to Connect

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To Connect, Reflect Before Offering Improvements

Reflect before offering improvements

#70 Reflect Before Offering Improvements

Author/executive coach Marshall Goldsmith recommends that when someone offers an idea, suggestion, opinion or plan, take time to reflect before offering a suggestion to improve it. Many people are in the habit of quickly adding their better idea by saying “but…” or “however…” Habitually doing this undermines connection, commitment and engagement. When it’s the other person’s idea, he/she will implement it with greater enthusiasm and energy so consider if your enhancement really matters before offering it.

This is the seventieth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Leaders Need to Walk the Halls

Visiting Employees in the Field

#69 Walk the Halls

Howard Behar, the secret weapon of Starbucks, tells leaders to “walk the halls.” Howard, former President of Starbucks North America and Starbucks International, played an instrumental role in growing Starbucks then came out of retirement to help turn Starbucks around when it went off course. “Walk the Halls” is similar to “Management by Wandering Around,” or “MBWA,” a term coined by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in their book In Search of Excellence. Walking the Halls is all about getting out of your office, getting to know the people you are responsible for leading and listening to them.

This is the sixty-ninth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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To Connect, Favor Inclusiveness

Inclusiveness in Business Meeting

#68 Favor Inclusiveness

When you are setting up a meeting, lean toward inclusiveness.  If there is someone who you believe may want to attend, invite him/her. You might send a brief note to that person indicating that you understand if other commitments take precedence over the meeting but want to keep him/her “in the loop.” Doing so is a great way to make the person feel valued.

This is the sixty-eighth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Connect With Your Body Language

Business person connecting through body language while listening

#67 Connect With Your Body Language

When interacting with others, be sure that your body language is connecting with them by being still, making eye contact while looking away at times so as not to glare or communicate too much intensity, relaxing your facial muscles, uncrossing your arms and leaning slightly forward.

This is the sixty-seventh post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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How to Reconnect Your Team

Business Team Discussion to Reconnect Team

#66 Reconnect Your Team

On a monthly basis at the beginning of a meeting, ask your direct reports to share something on their mind. It can be anything they care to share with the team such as something they did outside of work that other team members might be interested in or something that’s going on at work that they want the team to know about. Give each person five minutes to share.

This is the sixty-sixth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Help People Get Into the Right Role

New Job Sign

#65 Help People Get Into the Right Role

Help your direct reports get into the right role that fits their interests and strengths, and provides the right degree of challenge.  If you are not able to get them a role that is a perfect fit, consider responsibilities or projects you can assign them that fit well with their wiring.

This is the sixty-fifth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

 

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Persevere to Reconnect

Man holding bouquet of flowers and knocking on door

#64 Persevere to Reconnect

Sometimes saying you’re sorry isn’t enough. Don’t give up. Keep reaching out to reconnect.  Doing so is a sign of your good character (it can be said that you have the character strength of magnanimity).

This is the sixty-fourth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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To Connect, Celebrate High Five Moments

Happy Business People Giving High Fives

#63 Celebrate High Five Moments

In Fired Up or Burned Out, we wrote about Cranium, the games company, and how it is intentional about designing games so that people will experience “high five moments.” One form of physical touch that can be appropriate in the workplace (depending upon the context) is to give someone a “hive five” or “fist bump” when they perform well. These are acceptable ways to give recognition in more informal cultures. Research has found sports teams that express recognition in more physical forms perform better.

This is the sixty-third post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Provide Autonomy in Goal-Setting

Write Goals Down

#62 Provide Autonomy in Goal-Setting

As much as possible, let your direct reports establish their Top Five annual goals after communicating that their goals need to align with your Top Five. Talk through the goals with each employee to find SHARED goals that will advance your organization’s and the individual employee’s interests.

It may not be possible to find a perfect set of goals that meet the interests of all so make the effort to find the best possible set of goals and you will be rewarded by people who execute their tasks with greater energy and enthusiasm.

This is the sixty-second post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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The Optimum Number of Annual Goals

Woman Writing Goals on Board

#61 Set “Top Five” Annual Goals

Both individually and as a team, set no more than five challenging but achievable annual goals.  If you go beyond five annual goals, it will diminish focus and effective execution by tending to overwhelm those responsible for implementation. One day each week, review your weekly plans to see that they are aligned with your Top Five.

This is the sixty-first post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.