As it appeared in the Daily Nation on March 10th 2020
Dr. Lucy Kiruthu
Alone we can do very little. However, when we work with others, we can get so much more done. This is because we all have different abilities and when we work together, we complement each other. Working with some people is such a joy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. It is not always easy for us to work with each other. Sometimes working with others presents a major challenge. Do your colleagues find it easy to work with you? Do you find it easy to work with your colleagues? Is ‘easy to work with’ one of your key attributes? Here are five tips that can make it easier for us to work better with each other.
Be Honest: We all like honest people. Honest people tell the truth, they are open and reliable. They can be counted on to do what is right and to do what they said they would do. Being honest is a moral character that we desire in others. It is easy to work with honest people; they tell the truth, do not lie or steal. Are we honest? To be easy to work with, we must be honest!
Stay Empathetic: Empathy is a key element in human relations. It is empathy that helps us become sensitive to the feelings of others. It is empathy that helps us understand each other by listening a little more. When we are empathetic, it means we care and show compassion. Staying empathetic will make it easy for others to work with us. Empathy makes us better human beings.
Be Proficient: Being proficient means that we do our work to a high standard. When we are competent, skilled or professional, we produce better results. This makes it easier for others to work with us. To make it easy for others to work with you, be proficient.
Communicate Effectively: Communication is at the heart of human interactions. Communicating effectively means that we pass not only information but also understanding from person to person and do so in a smooth way. Communication can be verbal, written or through our body language. We might communicate upwards, downwards to or sideways using different channels. It is through effectively communicating with each other that we find the best solutions to everyday problems. Can you be counted on to communicate effectively? Being an effective communicator makes it easy for others to work with us.
Stay Positive: Finally, for others to work better with us, it is crucial to stay positive despite the vicissitudes of life. This requires having a positive attitude towards life, towards our work, others and ourselves. This sort of attitude gets us through each day. It is by maintaining a positive outlook that we make the best out of every day. Negativity steals the joy of working with others. To be easy to work with, we must manage our feelings, thoughts and actions. It is by taking charge of ourselves that we can stay positive.
Being easy to work with means less stress, less pain and less effort for our colleagues and even for us. Let us be intentional about being easy to work with!
Dr. Lucy Kiruthu is a Management Consultant and Trainer. Connect via twitter @KiruthuLucy
