Years ago when my daughter, Jenna was ill, I asked my boss if I may leave early to take care of her. After getting the green light, I headed home feeling a slight twinge of guilt for leaving unfinished work at my desk. Fortunately, the next day I was able to return to work as Jenna was feeling well enough to return to school. Upon entering my work area, my boss said something that really made me feel appreciated:
No, it was not, "Welcome back!"
No it was not, "Boy, are we glad to see you, as we have _______to do."
It was simply, "How is Jenna doing?" Yes, that was it! Her question made me feel like she cared about Jenna and myself. She did not resent the fact that I was gone the day before and left work unfinished. She got into my world for a few moments about a topic that was near and dear to my heart....my child.
This ability to show you care has huge implications for building a relationship with your staff and co-workers and it doesn't have to be just about their children. Here are a few other possibilities:
"How did your softball/basketball/bowling team do last night?"
"Did they find out what was wrong with your car/furnace/family member's health, _______ (fill in the blank)?
"Did you end up buying that refrigerator/dishwasher/GPS, _________ (fill in the blank)?
You are essentially following up with something your co-worker or staff member mentioned earlier to show you listened to them and you care about them.
Question for You:
Do you find it difficult to connect authentically with your staff? Do days go by without talking to your employees? Have you received feedback that your staff feels unappreciated?
Action for You:
Begin paying closer attention to what your employees say about what is happening in their lives right now or in the near future. Write these events down to jog your memory, especially if you have a lot of direct reports. Make a concerted effort to follow up with them about those issues most important to them.
