Every month you are invited to welcome our newsletter into your inbox.
What you may not fully appreciate is that we carefully choose what to share with you. For us, each newsletter is an opportunity to deepen relationships with our clients and readers. We view it as a conversation, an opportunity for us to learn together. Each month we draft one new blog post and choose additional content that we think might be valuable to you. We also publish because it encourages us to process and learn from the projects we are working on or completed. Writing about lessons gleaned from our work makes our newsletter more meaningful and purposeful. We want to give you a chance to learn from our experiences. This feels more authentic than writing about a random topic. We share our observations and ideas in the spirit of improving together. Our knowledge grows deeper when you, our readers, offer your own insights on the subject. There is connection as we learn together.
4 Comments
We recently decided to update our client testimonials and debated whether omitting a client name made the testimonial useful. The discussion was particularly valuable because it led to a deeper dialogue about the link between confidentiality and trust.
Trust is the basis of all successful relationships. Among the various elements that foster trust, confidentiality stands out as a crucial component, especially when partnered with integrity. Our commitment to respecting client confidentiality isn't just a box we check off — it's the cornerstone of how we build and maintain strong relationships. There are moments when something as mundane as a well-crafted email evokes awe. Call me a communication nerd, but I'm on a daily quest to master this art.
A beautifully composed email with a simple layout? Delivered in advance, and it’s structured with information in order of importance? That's my kind of joy. I appreciate it when someone invests time and resources to plan their communications. You can tell when they do. They bundle messages and write one email, not two or three. They organize information, prioritizing my attention and action over their convenience. Best of all, they strategically exclude information that doesn’t pertain to me. In the moments before the launch of an event or project, I’ve heard Anita repeat a sort of pep talk with the team at hand. It always comes during the inevitable scramble that occurs as a project comes to fruition.
During this speech she reiterates the purpose of the activity, project, or event. She also tells the team that she’s intentionally pausing on politeness during this last-minute crunch. From that moment until everything is running on its own, the team will not hear Anita say please or thank you. This speech marks a moment of distinction when the project transitions from planning to execution, when the team moves from preparing to doing. At this moment, Anita shifts her role from relationship manager to focused executor. Declaring this small, but philosophically significant juncture, gives her the critical permission to “go,” and signals the team to do the same. How do you typically respond to conflict?
This may not be a question we are comfortable answering, but understanding the primary way you respond to conflict can help you become more aware of your tendencies. It also can help you make better choices when you don’t agree with someone. Whether it's a disagreement with a colleague at work, a misunderstanding with a friend, or a difference of opinion within family, conflicts are a natural and inevitable part of human interaction. How we handle them significantly impacts our relationships and overall well-being. Reach Partners knows the value of a wrap-up or lessons-learned meeting and how that can offer insight into future projects. We have talked about how best to present a Post Activity Report and who should be part of this kind of reflection.
But recently, someone asked whether it’s necessary to plan a wrap-up session when the event is never going to happen again. The short answer: yes. The longer answer, here’s why: Asking for help is hard. Or, at least for many of us that’s true.
When we hesitate to ask for support, however, we unnecessarily suffer through difficult situations at work, at home, or even in a relationship. The reasons we avoid asking for help vary. Maybe we don’t know how to ask. Maybe we are too proud or scared to show vulnerability in our Midwestern culture. Perhaps we carry generational baggage that tells us we are not worthy of needing assistance. Whatever the barriers are, we need learn how to rise above them. Leaders who ask for help are the kind of people with whom Reach Partners thrives. They are humble and know their limitations. Leaders who ask for help tend to value expertise that others bring. To get better at asking for help, we encourage you to think about the obstacles and why it’s worth overcoming them. People often say they need something specific to generate more energy and are disappointed when they never seem to have enough of it. I suspect this gap occurs because we focus on the things that gives us energy instead of the processes we set up.
Think about it: How often have we been asked, “What gives you energy?” How often have you been asked, “How do you produce energy?” Maybe it’s the “how,” not the “what,” we should seek. After all, we have more control over the “how.” As I reflect on this, I want to share a few ways you can create positive, helpful energy: I was once invited to give feedback on an activity my child participated in. I’m confident the leaders had good intentions – after all, they asked parents to fill out a survey. But, I didn’t feel fulfilled after answering the questions. I didn’t understand why my input was needed. Was I helping to make the activity better for the next year? Was I understood?
You’ve likely found yourself in a similar situation. The experience prompted me to think deeper about why we need feedback and the best way to gather it. Have you ever just wanted to be done with something?
As a project manager, the word “done” can carry two very different meanings. On one hand, it signifies completion and accomplishment, that moment when all the tasks have been achieved and the project is ready for delivery. On the other hand, "done" can also be associated with frustration. Despite the hard work, challenges and setbacks may still linger. The feeling of true completion remains elusive. |
Reach PartnersYour partners in leadership. Categories
All
Archives
January 2025
|