Dear Daughter,
One thing you have to learn in both college and in your first job is how to make human connections. Nothing is more important (I just realized that I say that about a lot of things, but there are a lot of important things to know when managing your career.) Elsa, I know that it hasn’t been easy starting college during Covid, but you have done a great job making connections in these challenging times. So why is it important to make human connections at your job and how do you do it? Well, first off all it would be pretty boring and lonely if you didn’t connect with your co-workers. I’ve met some of my best friends at work. Feeling connected to the people around you and at your job provides an increased feeling of belonging, purpose, happiness, self-worth and confidence, and that is critical for our wellbeing.
Elsa, here are some ideas for making human connections now when you are in college and when you start a new job
Find students or co-workers that have the same interests as you
Build trust and respect by being an honest, caring and empathetic human being
Be approachable! Nobody wants to approach a grumpy person
Be open-minded to connecting with everyone. Be brave and start talking to new people even if it is scary
Make sure you don’t get sucked into your phone. It’s easy to start checking IG when you are on a break, but then suddenly you are totally absorbed and not aware of the people around you
Staying in touch takes work. Make sure you check-in with your new friends and maintain your friendships
I love meeting new people. It’s amazing how a total stranger can brighten your day with an exciting conversation or even become a good friend. When you meet new people, Elsa, make sure you listen more than you talk, and make the person you talk with feel like their thoughts are important. A good way to ensure you meet new people is to make it your mission to talk to a new classmate or co-worker every week.
Here are some approaches I’ve used:
Pay a compliment. Elsa, I know that you use this all the time, so you know it works.
Ask for information. Last week when I started my new job I asked a person in the office kitchen how to work the coffee machine and it led to a 20 minute conversation.
Introduce yourself. Just say, "Hi, I’m Elsa", and go from there. It will spark a conversation.
Offer to help someone in the office. It’s a great way to start a conversation.
Ask for an opinion or thoughts about something you are working on.
Bottom line is that we all need to make human connections for our wellbeing, and it’s not difficult. As you get older you realize how easy it is to start up a conversation by just saying hello, so go out there and make connections, Elsa! Your life will be so much richer thanks to it.
