Posted on

Carve Out Social Times to Connect at Work

ice cream

#79 Carve Out Social Times

Schedule regular social time for people to connect. Genentech has weekly Friday afternoon social times where they serve drinks and snacks. We know a manager who orders pizza and salad for his team every other Friday.

During the warm summer months, organize an ice cream social on Friday afternoon to bring your team together for conversation (include fruit for the those who prefer a more healthy alternative). You should help serve those in attendance and once everyone is served make your way around to say hello to everyone. Avoid talking about work matters and instead ask people about their interests outside of work and what they are looking forward to over the remainder of the year.

This is the seventy-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.

Posted on

Find New Ways to Connect by Discussing a Story a Week

Fired Up or Burned Out Book Cover#78 Discuss a Story a Week

Part IV of Fired Up or Burned Out has 20 inspiring stories of great leaders who created Connection Cultures (see pages 132-194). Take your team through one story each week and discuss how you can employ the practices in each chapter to your workplace.

To receive a complimentary digital copy of Fired Up or Burned Out, sign up for my Connect to Thrive newsletter, which offers helpful tips and resources on connection.

This is the seventy-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.

Posted on

How Leaders can Identify and Establish Core Values That Connect

Writing at Desk

If you asked your employees what the organization’s core values are, could they tell you? Most cannot.

This is a problem for leaders since it is impossible to create a healthy corporate culture, which I refer to as a “Connection Culture,” if employees can’t articulate what the organization stands for. Furthermore, the organization’s values should be ones that encourage connection and teamwork, rather than silos and dysfunctional behavior.

The following steps can help leaders to identify and establish core values that are meaningful and encourage connection across the entire organization:

Posted on

Provide Constructive Feedback

Feedback

#77 Provide Constructive Feedback

When providing feedback to help someone improve, we recommend the following: always communicate it in private, be respectful in your tone of voice and volume, and begin with three positive things you like about his/her work.  After sharing the three positives, say “I believe you would be even better if… [insert what you want them to do or stop doing].” Kindness matters and the approach you take will affect how the person receives the feedback.

This is the seventy-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.

Posted on

Connect With Your Team by Keeping Them “In the Loop”

Business Discussion

#76 Keep Them “In the Loop”

Keep your team in the loop on issues they need to know about. Whenever possible, bring individuals into the loop who express an interest in an issue. Doing so helps people to feel prepared for what’s ahead, which reduces stress and increases engagement.

This is the seventy-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.

Posted on

Divided We Stand: Treating Corporate America’s Loneliness Epidemic

Lonely Woman

By Colton Perry

Since the time of the American Revolution, the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall” has been a popular motto of the United States. It was first written by John Dickinson in the 1768 Liberty Song, and suggests that in order to thrive, we must rely on one another.

While this is one of the most recognizable sayings in America today, it is common to see the opposite in practice. A nationwide survey published in the American Sociological Review in 2006 shows that despite our proud motto, Americans are lonelier now than ever before.

Posted on

To Handle Intentional Disconnectors, Wish Them Well

Intentional Disconnector

#75 Wish Them Well

Over your career you will run into intentional disconnectors. They care only about themselves. Psychologists call them the “dark triad” and they are also known as psychopaths, narcissists and Machiavellians. They have little empathy for others. They can make you furious if you let them. It’s best to avoid them and wish them well. Hopefully they will get help from a mental health professional because they need it.

This is the seventy-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.