How to Work with (Almost) Anyone
Working with almost anyone can be a challenging task. We all have faced difficult people and challenging situations at work, and sometimes it can be tough to know how to navigate those situations. However, having healthy conversations can make all the difference, and that's exactly what I discussed with Michael Bungay Stanier in my latest Forged by Trust podcast episode. Michael is a world-renowned author of "The Coaching Habit" and has extensive experience in coaching and leadership. In this episode, we discussed how to work with almost anyone and build healthy relationships in the workplace.
Michael's first point was about the value of holding space for others. He emphasized the importance of asking questions and being present to the answers, even if the first answer might not be the only answer. Often, we tend to control the conversation, but it is valuable to allow others to move into the spotlight. Michael highlighted that our happiness and success are dependent on our working relationships, and we should not leave them to chance.
Michael also discussed his mission to infect a billion people with the "Possibility Virus." He talked about helping people make braver choices and see the possibilities. He emphasized that his contributions need to spread without him, like a virus. Michael's focus on spreading positivity and empowering people to make braver choices is truly inspiring.
Michael's journey into coaching and leadership began with great teachers from his high school and university. He emphasized that this is a powerful way of contributing to the world. Michael discussed how innovation was not articulated as a discipline in the mid-90s, and he relied on curiosity, creativity, and empathy to solve problems.
Michael's experience with focus groups and trying to understand what consumers wanted was particularly helpful in developing his coaching program. He realized that coaching needed to be built around the reality of a busy, overwhelmed manager. He also emphasized the importance of having something different, something you care about, and something that you can sell when starting a business.
Building healthy relationships is crucial in the workplace, and Michael emphasized that most of the time, we leave those to chance. He suggested talking about how we'll work together rather than what we'll be working on. This allows for a safe, vital, and repairable relationship. Michael also suggested taking a step back and asking, "Hey, before we talk about what's the real challenge here, let's talk about you and me. How should we work together in a way that will be good for you and good for me?" This is a brave conversation to start and can make all the difference.
Giving feedback can be a challenging task, and Michael suggested that often, people hesitate to give feedback not because they're afraid of conflict or a difficult conversation, but because they don't know what to ask for. Michael suggested asking the question, "What needs to be said that hasn't yet been said?" This question is an invitation to speak to the whisperings and the small stuff before it becomes the big stuff. It allows for preemptively fixing things that aren't yet broken or fixing things that have just begun to break early on.
In conclusion, working with almost anyone can be a challenging task, but having healthy conversations can make all the difference. Michael's insights into building healthy relationships, starting brave conversations, and giving feedback were truly valuable. His focus on infecting a billion people with the "Possibility Virus" and empowering them to make braver choices is inspiring. As we navigate the complexities of the workplace, Michael's advice on building healthy relationships and having healthy conversations is something we should all keep in mind.
#healthyconversations #workplacerelationships #coachinghabit #leadership #braveconversations #feedback #possibilityvirus #empowerment #careeradvice #workingtogether #communicationtips
