A reflection on authenticity and the small moments that help us build better relationships.
If you have sent me an email this week you will have got an out of office message and hopefully it made you smile… and you will know that I am in Wales… You won’t know that I have sat staring at the sea listening to Under Milk Wood and wandering around streets that 80 odd years ago Dylan Thomas walked. I may also have had a beer or two in pubs that he drank in.
I put a lot of thought into my out of office messages. For me they are an important bit of communication… they help to build relationships… and I also think that just because I’m not there that’s no reason for you not to get a response that feels vaguely personal.
Quite some time ago I realised that out of office messages can be more than the factually accurate ‘I am away from my desk…’ type or the signposting people ‘if your query is about…’ type. They can help people connect with me. I think
they are a tool to build relationships with my team, with partners that we work with often and with new connections. They offer a chance to be human, to bring the real me to my job.
I know not everyone feels that they can be themselves or bring the whole person to their job… and I get that… but I do think it is a shame… and I do recognise that it is something I have got more comfortable with as I have got older but I urge you to consider sharing a little more about who you really are in order that we can move from the transactional to the relational in the way we all work together. I am sure understanding what makes each other tick, what makes you you and me me matters
(Image of a street that most likely was walked by Dylan Thomas (for whom one of my offspring is named)
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Be the first in the know!
We promise to not use your email for spam and we will not sell it to third parties. We will not bother you with useless information, nor will we bombard you! By signing up for our newsletter you also agree to our Privacy Policy.
