WEBVTT - The New Corner Office: Ask how you can help

0:00:05.519 --> 0:00:09.959
<v Speaker 1>Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office,

0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:14.000
<v Speaker 1>the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the

0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:18.160
<v Speaker 1>new world of work where location and hours are more

0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:22.560
<v Speaker 1>flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to get

0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:26.000
<v Speaker 1>in the habit of asking how you can help when

0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:29.000
<v Speaker 1>you're not face to face. You want to over communicate

0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:32.559
<v Speaker 1>in general. One nice way to do that and to

0:00:32.600 --> 0:00:35.360
<v Speaker 1>stay top of mind for people is to ask how

0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:39.560
<v Speaker 1>you can support others in their work. When you're working

0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:42.440
<v Speaker 1>in physical proximity to your boss, your colleagues, and your

0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:45.839
<v Speaker 1>direct reports, you can pick up on a lot. You

0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:50.960
<v Speaker 1>overhear phone conversations. You notice body language and facial expressions,

0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:55.280
<v Speaker 1>You see who's meeting with whom. All this gives you

0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:59.360
<v Speaker 1>insight into whether people are happy or whether they're struggling.

0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:03.360
<v Speaker 1>And this isn't the case when we're working remotely, as

0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:06.399
<v Speaker 1>many people are these days. We don't have the same

0:01:06.440 --> 0:01:10.000
<v Speaker 1>opportunities to see for ourselves if others are making progress.

0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:13.920
<v Speaker 1>It's slightly harder to have those casual how's it going

0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:18.640
<v Speaker 1>interactions that then paved the way for real requests for help,

0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:23.720
<v Speaker 1>and let's face it, many of us need help right now.

0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:26.720
<v Speaker 1>People are being called upon to do their work in

0:01:26.800 --> 0:01:31.840
<v Speaker 1>new ways and often without the usual supports. You may

0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:34.240
<v Speaker 1>have worked in youth developments since your first job as

0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:36.960
<v Speaker 1>a camp counselor, but your teens have always been right

0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:40.360
<v Speaker 1>in front of you, not scattered in apartments throughout the city.

0:01:40.840 --> 0:01:43.560
<v Speaker 1>You may have worked in corporate training for decades, but

0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:45.800
<v Speaker 1>you've always had an I T. Person sitting right next

0:01:45.800 --> 0:01:49.520
<v Speaker 1>to you to manage the technical aspects of webinars. Or

0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:52.680
<v Speaker 1>maybe you started a new job in February you've not

0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:55.200
<v Speaker 1>really even met the people you're now working with virtually,

0:01:55.960 --> 0:02:00.440
<v Speaker 1>so you're basically figuring out everything from responsibilities to corporate

0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:04.840
<v Speaker 1>culture on the fly. You'd probably appreciate someone reaching out

0:02:04.840 --> 0:02:08.120
<v Speaker 1>to ask how they could help about now, right, So

0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.360
<v Speaker 1>do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.

0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.040
<v Speaker 1>Reach out to people in your professional circles and especially

0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:17.760
<v Speaker 1>those you supervise, to ask how you can help. Don't

0:02:17.800 --> 0:02:22.040
<v Speaker 1>assume that others will ask. Asking team members what they

0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:24.880
<v Speaker 1>need is the most efficient way to get them the

0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:28.600
<v Speaker 1>right resources. It's also an efficient way to keep them

0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:32.760
<v Speaker 1>happy and productive. Someone might not volunteer that he and

0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:36.080
<v Speaker 1>his wife are splitting childcare duties and that you're asking

0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:39.160
<v Speaker 1>for ten am calls is a huge source of tension

0:02:39.360 --> 0:02:42.840
<v Speaker 1>in the household. But if you ask about scheduling, you

0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:46.600
<v Speaker 1>can figure out that setting calls at noon is perfectly fine,

0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:51.120
<v Speaker 1>and if you're neutral between ten am and noon, well wow,

0:02:51.680 --> 0:02:55.560
<v Speaker 1>big win. You can build time into any conversation to

0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:58.760
<v Speaker 1>ask about how you can best support people's work. Your

0:02:58.800 --> 0:03:01.799
<v Speaker 1>interest in helping is also a great reason to reach

0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:05.320
<v Speaker 1>out to people in general. You can build connections and

0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:08.640
<v Speaker 1>make existing one stronger. As you reach out to your

0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:11.440
<v Speaker 1>network to offer help. You might learn that a former

0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:14.320
<v Speaker 1>colleague has started a project to build face shields for

0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:17.359
<v Speaker 1>medical workers with a three D printer. You can then

0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:20.959
<v Speaker 1>contribute through the go fund me page. A former client

0:03:21.360 --> 0:03:23.920
<v Speaker 1>might be looking for a new job, and this gives

0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:27.480
<v Speaker 1>you the opportunity to personally pass along the resume to

0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:31.000
<v Speaker 1>the right person. Of course, if you ask how people

0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:34.000
<v Speaker 1>can help, people will probably ask the same of you,

0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:38.080
<v Speaker 1>so be prepared with an answer even if you don't

0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:42.200
<v Speaker 1>need anything immediately. You can ask for people's practical tips

0:03:42.240 --> 0:03:46.480
<v Speaker 1>for virtual work, or recommendations for good books or podcasts

0:03:46.760 --> 0:03:50.320
<v Speaker 1>to listen to. As you're isolating. We're all in this

0:03:50.440 --> 0:03:54.560
<v Speaker 1>together and when we reach out openly and generously to

0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:58.520
<v Speaker 1>find out where others are struggling, we can troubleshoot challenges together,

0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:02.080
<v Speaker 1>find resource is when we need them, and get better

0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:07.720
<v Speaker 1>outcomes for everyone. In the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks

0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:13.920
<v Speaker 1>for listening, and here's the succeeding in the New Corner Office.

0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.640
<v Speaker 1>The New Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio.

0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:22.919
<v Speaker 1>For more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:25.920
<v Speaker 1>or wherever you get your favorite shows. H