After reading so many articles about major issues with product and website launches over the past few weeks, I wanted to share "A Question You Should Ask Every Day" from Geoffrey James of Inc.com:
Just out of curiosity, what do you like best about your job?
...when you show true curiosity about what makes other people happy, they are complimented by your interest, feel more comfortable talking to you, and feel more positively about you.
As I have stated before, the ability to build trusted relationships is a crucial skill for all change agents. Even though we are pressed for time and are driven to distraction by the laundry list of tasks we still need to complete in a day, asking this question of someone on our team will demonstrate that we see that person as more than just a task-completer.Taking the time to connect with another human being, and really listen to her answer about what is meaningful and happy-making about her work, changes the tenor of a negative conversation and improves your relationship with that person.Remember, people are what make an organization--and a change initiative--successful.And who knows? As you show an interest in what makes others happy, you might spark a people-focused culture change in the rest of your organization as well!