Relating to Others

With the political season upon us, and an overall state of civil discourse that isn’t always so “civil,” we at Red Flag Reporting are revisiting a few important thoughts we have shared in the past.

No matter our life experience, educational level, job title, or any number of other characteristics, one thing we can all likely agree on is that at times we seem to live in a divided society. Unfortunately, those divisions sometimes enter the workplace.

Many of us have asked ourselves “what can I do to make things better?” Here are four easy tips on relating to others.

• Listen to what the other person is saying – many of us are forming our responses before the other person finishes talking. When we are doing that, we are not really listening. Let the other person talk, absorb what they are saying, and then formulate a response.

• Mirror the other person’s style – enable the other person to be comfortable with you. If she is rushed, help her by getting to the point. If his approach appears casual, take a few moments to interact more casually.

• Understand the other’s motivation – since you are now listening instead of formulating your response, try to understand if the person you are talking to is more concerned about getting something done or if the issue is more relational. Many of us are gifted more one way or the other – tasks versus relationships. Make sure your mindset is focused less on what you would do and more on what the other person needs.

• Help – now that you have a better understanding of what the other person needs, help that person. Think of people who have helped you in a non-work environment. It formed a positive bond, didn’t it?!  When we take a moment to show others we care, bridges are built.

If you want to go further:

• Think critically – challenge your own personal opinions and realize that “facts are facts.”  When we examine the facts, divergent opinions tend to narrow.  For more on critical thinking, see https://www.redflagreporting.com/an-unbiased-view-of-cognitive-bias-and-how-to-think-critically/

We can all work together for the common good.