A Polite Connection

Yesterday, I was talking to my partner, and I have noticed a behaviour that irritates me, and it also just occurred to me it is probably the same situation that I recently faced in the workplace.

A meaningful connection needs meaningful conversations, and it takes time and effort to build basic trust.

By effort, I mean care. Show you care by listening carefully. Show you care by giving genuine feedback. Show you care by asking their viewpoint and understanding the reason behind it.

Spending times with a person without showing care can only build a “polite” connection.

Being polite and doing mindless talking mean you only want to maintain a relationship that scratches the surface, and you don't really care what others think.

Often, people working together are heading towards the same goal(hopefully, it's clear), before we build any trust, we are already talking about work. That means if you are being polite or doing mindless talking during the conversation, chances are the person you talked to might feel they are not being respected.

Unfortunately, this happens frequently, not only in the workplace but also in life.

I have known my husband for 10 years, I know him and his intention, and the behaviour still makes me feel uncomfortable. I can call him out because our relationship is stronger than this tiny issue.

But can we call other people's out, and burn the bridges of a “polite” connection? What will happen next?

The takeaway here is, show you care when making any conversation with whoever is. Your reputation is not only built on the achievements but also the behaviour you are acting on.P