Talking Story

Starting new conversations in the workplace!

Archives for March 2008

Let’s Talk Story: What’s new with you?

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Sometimes, and certainly when it comes to talking story, those simple questions we call “small talk” are the best ones for keeping you socially connected to people. They can lead to great conversations. In the very least, they comfort you with the knowledge that life is not a solo proposition; they are warmly connecting.

What’s new with you?
Mahalo for checking in with me today.
Rosa2005

For instance, while sitting with my coffee this morning I sent off one of those emails that are family blasts. I have three brothers and one sister, all married and with families of their own, and is the case with my own two in-college kids, I can’t personally visit any of them (or my mom) unless I hop on a plane. So my email simply asked, “What’s new with you?”

It’s nice to let the people you care about know that you are interested in their lives; and the niceness karma comes back to you tenfold” I love getting their responses back.

So, dear readers, send out your own ‘Ohana (family) email blast, and then, if you like, let’s talk story here too: What’s new with you?


New with me? My tweeting on Twitter. I’m not always the earliest adopter, but I eventually find my way” so you can also let me know about what’s new with you there… you’ll find me @rosasay

Initially I didn’t really “get it.” But now, I am finding that Twitter can be a great new way to talk story with people, and I would agree with Tom Landini (whom I learned about in a tweet from Angela Maiers) when he says,

“I’m not sure, though, that the most interesting question is ‘what are you doing?’ Much more useful to me is ‘what’s got your attention right now?’”

So much is about where you give that gift of your attention, isn’t it.

Thank you very much for this gift of yours just now :)

~ Rosa

Ho'ohana Aloha

Are you an Underappreciated Workplace Genius?

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I just love the way that Wayne Turmel writes. You smile constantly as you read his words (and asides) and between the lines there are real gems of wisdom. This is an article I will be sending to all the managers I coach: 

A field guide to underappreciated workplace geniuses.
Wayne wrote it for Management-Issues at the Heart of the Changing Workplace

A beginning snippet which is the gist of it:

“At the beginning of my management and training career, I was fascinated with Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Essentially, this argues that there are all kinds of smart in the world (seven to be precise) and the kind they measure in school is only one of them – or two of them depending which test you took.

This was both a huge eye-opener for employers trying to identify quality employees (my stated reason for looking into the theory) and for those of us who tried to get our parents off our backs about low grades (an added bonus and one my own kid will not be able to get away with, true or not).

As I continued to deal with people, though, I realized that not only are there employees out there with unappreciated intelligences, some of these people are downright geniuses in a strange kind of way. Their ability to function at high levels in their areas of expertise and complete inability to work and play well with others is worthy of examination by someone much smarter than me.”

Learn about the “intelligences” Wayne calls,

  1. The DNA Identifier
  2. The Human Weathervane
  3. The Atomic Calipers
  4. The Boss Whisperer … click to the article.

If you identify with these, well, perhaps we should talk. You have some energy that we can channel.

You can visit Wayne at his own place too: Cranky never was this good.

Crankytpnshowheader

“The Cranky Middle Manager Show is an irreverent but insightful look at the world of middle management. Host Wayne Turmel vents, offers humorous commentary and talks to the smartest people in the field about management techniques, career strategies and just keeping it together day after day. If you ever feel stuck between the idiots that make the decisions and the morons who won’t do as they’re told, this is the show for you.”

Don’t blame the economy; Show me what you’re made of!

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Are those violins I hear?

In talking story with some business people lately, I have had to bite my tongue and take the time to choose my words more diplomatically, but here I’ll get to the point:

Whining and commiseration is worthless.

Have a better conversation between your ears and with everyone you work with.

It is getting way too easy for American (and Hawaiian) business people to blame the coming/already-here recession for practically every woe they have right now ”“ and every nonperformance issue. The one bright spot is that we have momentarily stopped blaming Gen’ers X and Y for not sharing Boomer values and all that nonsense.

It may feel slightly self-protective of your personal dignity to do this wound-licking, but you’ll have to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get to work for some real healing (and better business prospects) to start.

You can: Be more confident.

You’re smart, good enough and then some.

So get to work and Ho‘ohana ”“ make things happen.

Ho‘omau: Ho‘omau is the Hawaiian value of perseverance and persistence. Those who ho‘omau do not give up, and they certainly do not waste their time (and squander others’ attentions) by moaning and complaining.

Optimists know (not just believe, KNOW) that times of adversity are when winners emerge. Winners leverage what they DO have going for them in the best possible way with an abundance mentality (Palena ‘ole) and positive expectancy.

Be the winner I know you are. These are times ripe for the picking :)

Violin

Photo on Flickr by margolove.
She says The balls of paper are actually sheet music…
think of them as the excuses, yeah buts, and I can’ts you can take aim at shooting down!

No, nobody really does this (anymore), right?

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Stunning Six Apart Revelations:

Stunning_six_apart_revelations

Found on Flickr by eekim… See more on the SA company refrigerator:
"If you take a drink, you have to leave a secret."

The identity I have is challenge enough! Can’t imagine taking on another one…

Here is some of the writing I’ve been doing at MWAC and JJL lately;