1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: tip is to find your water cooler, even if it 4 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: is a metaphorical one. There are lots of benefits to 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: having strong relationships with your colleagues or other people in 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: your professional network. If you aren't going to automatically bump 7 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: into each other at a water cooler, then create other 8 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: contexts for connecting. There are plenty out there if you 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: choose to look. Today's episode was inspired by the fact 10 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: that in my recent Better work Day challenge, a lot 11 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: of participants mentioned that they don't cross paths with colleagues 12 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: as much as they used to. I absolutely love hybrid 13 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: and remote work. In many cases, it is way more efficient. 14 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: It also allows companies to recruit talent that might not 15 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: have been available before. But it does mean that fewer 16 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: people are gathered around a water cooler having casual conversations 17 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: in the break room. Any given conversation about what you 18 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: did over the weekend is not going to be that purposeful, 19 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: but over time, casual interactions build rapport, which allows people 20 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: to work together with more trust. But just because people 21 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: aren't hovering around the proverbial water cooler in the course 22 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: of a regular day doesn't mean that there is no 23 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: way to connect. One pretty easy idea is to sign 24 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: onto zoom calls a little early. Often the host will 25 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: open up the meeting a few minutes before the appointed time, 26 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: just as a regular meeting room would be open before 27 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: the actual meeting. If you're in just two to three 28 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: minutes before, that is a chance to say hello, to 29 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: ask what people are up to, or to mention that 30 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: you saw another former colleague recently, or whatever it is. 31 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: There's no one there will oh well, I am sure 32 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: you are capable of using the time to delete another 33 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: email or two if you don't have to race off 34 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: to the next thing, Especially if you are running the 35 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: virtual meeting, it's great if you can stick around for 36 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: a few minutes to chat with anyone who wants to 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: catch up. People don't have to stay, but maybe some will. 38 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: It's wonderful that there are many virtual professional development events 39 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: these days, but it might also be worth going to 40 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: a few more in person events then you might have 41 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: gone to in the past. Maybe your local professional association 42 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: has a happy hour every month or two rally a 43 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: colleague to go with you, so you have someone you 44 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: know and then see if you can bump into a 45 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: few more people you know. Tangentially go to a conference 46 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: or two as well. Chatting in the hallways outside sessions 47 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: is very much the equivalent of a water cooler. Or 48 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: perhaps there's a place people in your industry tend to go. 49 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: In New York City, historically there have been a few 50 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: restaurants where lots of media people have lunch, Or maybe 51 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: there is a wine bar that tends to draw up 52 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: and comers in the non profit world. Whatever it is, 53 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: it might be worth checking out. You might also try 54 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: working elsewhere. From time to time. A local coworking space 55 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: probably has a water cooler and you can chat with 56 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: people there when you take your breaks. And if you 57 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: do work in an office, I actually do find the 58 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: water cooler or whatever your equivalent is. I know people 59 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: who shut themselves in their offices and pride themselves on 60 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: how productive this is, But the truth is it really isn't. 61 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: I am not saying you want to spend your whole 62 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: day gabbing, but if you work with people, connecting with 63 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: those people as part of the job, feeling like you 64 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: can trust each other and that you like each other 65 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: means that people won't assume the worst or take feedback 66 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: the wrong way, or any of those other things that 67 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 1: can tank a whole team's productivity for days. If you 68 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: work a hybrid schedule, make sure to plan to chat 69 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: with colleagues while you are in the office. Organize a 70 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: coffee break or a walk or something. If you have 71 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: an in person meeting, try to go a few minutes 72 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: early to chat with people before it starts. I know 73 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: some people like to keep work in friendships totally separate, 74 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: but to me, people are people. Even if you aren't 75 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: best friends with your colleagues, it helps to be friendly. 76 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: So find your metaphorical water cooler, and hey, if you 77 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: go to the actual water cooler a lot, maybe you 78 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: you will finally be fully hydrated too. In the meantime, 79 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 80 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 81 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 82 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 83 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 84 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app. Apple podcasts, or wherever you 85 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.