If you’ve ever stood back and listened to words spoken to a grieving widow or widower or to any person who loses what they’ve loved – you’ll likely agree that a tenderness and compassion rings through every phrase.
Ok… I’ll agree that occasionally people tend to say a few dumb things at that time too … such as … “You’ll get over it…. Or they freeze in silence ….
But what if we spoke to every person at work today… as they were wounded?
If you think about the ordinary blows that strike a person’s week – when life hits back in times you least expect it, you’ll agree that carefully chosen words come across like apples of gold. And we know from research – that many people hold in wounded parts of their lives that snipe at them daily. We also know that stress snipes back.
That’s why a guide to improve overall tone at work might be to …
1. Address cranky people as if they just lost a good buddy
2. Ask questions about how you could help a person who rarely speaks out
3. Hold back criticism in favor of a kind word or two to the abrasive boss
4. Offer improvement suggestions – rather than diminish a person’s contribution
5. Laugh at yourself as a way to build up the joys of working with others
Can you think of other ways that would extend words that would work well if a person felt wounded when entering your circle? It might be just the serotonin needed to heal an entire firm – where careless words add daily to cortisol that hold people back. What brain chemical do you bring to work through words spoken?
See related articles:
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/07/what_is_cortisol_and_why_shoul.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/07/what_is_serotonin_and_why_shou.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2007/05/bank_any_serotonin_today.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2007/05/the_magic_dose_of_serotonin.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/10/seritonin_builders_for_better.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2007/07/chemicals_to_refuel_when_work.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2007/08/tone_to_the_finish_line.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/08/stick_a_neuron_in_your_head_an.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/10/i_just_needed_to_vent.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/07/problems_that_spark_solutions.html
http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/09/10_practices_that_boost_your_b.html
Wow Ellen: An amazing metaphor. Businesses would do well to print this out and distribute it. I'm going to read this out at the beginning of the next Learning Programme I facilitate and ask participants what they feel.
Posted by: Galba Bright at Tune up your EQ | July 11, 2007 11:18 AM | Permalink to Comment