Career Tips from a PM (12/30) – Not every conversation has to be about work.
This is critical for virtually any role out there, especially roles where you need to partner and collaborate with others.
It’s been proven time and time again that we are psychologically conditioned to gravitate and support those we feel most connected and relatable to. In simple terms, you’re more likely to help someone you get good vibes around than someone you don’t.
As human beings, we are more than just what we do for work. We have friends, family, hobbies, and other interests outside the office (or off-screen, for you remote folk). Now, I’m not saying that you need to be everyone’s best friend. Instead, I’m saying that if the ONLY thing you talk about is work, the level of rapport you’ll have will always be limited.
If you’ve ever had a great boss/manager or a coworker that you work well with, then you’ve experienced my point first hand. You’ve no doubt connected on things outside of work, giving each of you more opportunity to bond, and thus when it’s time to actually do work, you’re more open to help each other even if it means going out of your respective ways.
Not every conversation has to be about work.