Human Huddle Rae & Hazel

A recent study showed employees are more than twice as likely to avoid speaking up when working virtually. What impact might that have on productivity, employee engagement, teamwork and overall job satisfaction? 

Distance can make difficult conversations even more challenging which means we're even more likely to assume the ostrich position, burying our heads in the sand and avoiding the subject altogether.  As Carl Jung said "what you resist, persists".

It turns out once more that our mindset matters as we approach the conversation ... pay attention to intention, find common ground, listen to understand - just a few of the tips Rae and Hazel share in this episode. Are you ready to top up your toolkit and achieve a win-win in those conversations you've been avoiding? Connect with us in this not so difficult conversation! 

Other refs: VitalSmarts, Adam Grant Think Again. 

Work is a big part of life for so many of us but how realistic and helpful is it to strive for 'balance'? Are we setting ourselves up to fail? Are work and life really two distinct entities or part of one thing...life?! Given the impact on our relationships, health and wellbeing, can we afford to ignore when life feels out of kilter and we end up feeling overwhelmed, stressed, even physically ill? How do we want to spend the rest of our time on the planet?

Hazel & Rae consider that 'blending' work with other interests and responsibilities may be more attainable. Thankfully we are all different, our personalities even influence our approach to work and play - do you see play as a reward when the work is done or are you happy to play whilst working?  Like most things, we can't change unless we notice what's working and what's not. Achieving a sense of balance needs us to take personal responsibility for things like mindset & setting boundaries together with a workplace culture that encourages and supports a happy, fulfilling balance. 

Other references: Dr Peter Hawkins: Work, Learn, Play, Give, Jocelyn K. Glei Hurry Slowly podcast: Who are you without the doing?

"I'm not as capable as people think I am". "If I can do it, anyone can". "I have to be perfect to feel good enough". If any of these are familiar to you,  it's possible you have experienced 'Imposter Syndrome'. Hazel & Rae explore their own vulnerabilities and insecurities and share what helps them when they feel the Imposter creeping in.  If this resonates with you, you are in good company. Many people, including high achievers, have acknowledged feeling their successes/accomplishments in life are due to luck, sheer fluke, hard work, or anything but their personal competence. It seems it's common practice to compare and judge ourselves against others who we perceive to be 'better than' us. The truth is, we are all a 'work in progress', perfectly imperfect, and that's what makes us the unique human beings we are.   

Other references: Nancy Kline, Simon Sinek, Valerie Young

What needs to happen for us to feel safe to speak up, challenge, question, report, fail, make mistakes...?? Do the benefits of this interpersonal risk outweigh the rewards? What are the costs of not creating environments where people feel accepted, valued, trusted and able to be their 'whole self'? This week Hazel and Rae are bringing out the big guns as they reflect on the concept of "psychological safety".  There's also a story about donuts. Do you need any more reason to tune in...?? 😉 

Other references: Adam Grant's book Think Again, Matthew Syed's books Black Box Thinking & Rebel Ideas, Carol Dweck's work on Growth Mindset, Amy Edmondson's Tedx Talk Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace, 10 Components of a Thinking Environment®.

Mentor, Coach, Counsellor. By any other name, it's support. It matters. A lot. Especially when you consider that a global survey from January 2019 revealed employees would leave their job for less pay in exchange for better wellbeing support. 

Hazel asks Rae for her take on the similarities and differences between these helping modalities. Listen to their thoughts based on their experiences. 

Other references: Happy Mondays band, Julie Starr & The Coaching Manual, Dress for Success, The Princes Trust, ChildLine, Situational Leadership 

Huddle with us as we ponder on the lost or even luxurious, art of listening. Asking ourselves 'who do we really listen to?' and 'who really listens to us?' We explore what it means to listen without interrupting to help someone think for themselves and hear themselves think! 

Find out about the 11 second rule, why your favourite tunes from the 80's and 90's might not make it to Spotify, the work of Nancy Kline and Time to Think and why Coaching in a Thinking Environment® requires you to be comfortable with being both essential and irrelevant. Are you ready to take up Rae's challenge to stop interrupting yourself?

Other references: Kate Murphy's book "You're Not Listening', Nancy Kline's latest book 'The Promise That Changes Everything' and Time to Think  for the 10 components, articles, how to find a qualified Time to Think Professional, like Hazel, & so much more... 

Revision: The Gottman Institute study/our attention span for listening is in Nancy Kline's book, not Kate Murphy's as Hazel mentioned...oops.