Do you have that one colleague whose work you just don’t understand? You’re always confused about what their role is and what it is they actually do? Turning it around, would any colleagues wonder the same about you?
Whether we work in a complex organizations with multiple departments, or in a small tight-nit organization, many of us would love to understand what it is some of our colleagues really do, but there isn’t always a good set-up to find out. Job titles can be vague, and reporting structure doesn’t always give the full picture. And sometimes we all use language which means one thing to us and something completely different to someone else (we’re probably all guilty of a little “garbage language” at times also).
But how can we see possible points of connection or potential career growth if people don’t really understand the work that others do? How could you find out more about what other people do, and/or how they got into their role, especially if it’s a role you could see yourself doing in the future? Asking open-ended questions is always a good tip, but what if there’s not a natural setting for that? How can you model doing this for others?
This Week’s Tip:
Try a weekly AMA (Ask Me Anything) time. Dedicate an hour each week to being available for people to ask you anything about your role – whether that’s in person, by phone, by Zoom, by Slack… whatever tools work for you. This isn’t additional time – you can still work as usual during this hour, but block this time on your calendar, and don’t schedule meetings then (or allow others to schedule meetings for you). Treat this as a drop-in office hour, and add the specific day/time to your email signature, your Slack profile, and anywhere else where colleagues might find you. If you’re in an office environment, make sure people can find you during that time block. If you – or others you work with – work remotely (or hybrid), open a Zoom room and include the link in your AMA details.
This doesn’t need to be an organization-wide initiative. Even if you’re the only one to do this, it will encourage others to do the same, creating a culture of asking questions. You may be surprised – within a short time, you may find new collaborations, new understanding, and new bridges built!
Try this out, and let us know how it goes! We’d love to hear from you!
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Building Bridges Leadership 