Garfinkle recently worked with an executive who was faced with building relationships with an entirely new staff, whose prior boss was a closed-door, remote vice president. Constantly insulting yourself or poking fun at your quirks makes people uncomfortable and quickly makes you the person to avoid at the office. They do not wish to disturb, or even worse, anger the person. Do. Here are a few ways you can inject mindful moments into your day so you can de-stress and do your best. Executives hoping to become more strategic should look for opportunities to innovate in their communication of data, while prodding their organizations to institutionalize such capabilities. Even though you might be nervous, avoid the habits that go along with the feeling. Permit me to add one more that is crucial to becoming an approachable leader: An openess to scrutiny, better yet, a welcoming of it, along with a willingness to change, despite the attendant discomforts, affords a state of being that few organizations … You should not bring your home life at work so you can focus on your job and you will be more pleasant to your colleagues. Being nimble at work requires an acute responsiveness and openness to optimize your strategy or approach based on a number of changing factors. Be mindful of your body language when you are listening to someone who speaks to you at work. It encourages strategic problem-solving and offers up intervention only where requested, empowering others instead of taking over. Have a friendly facial expression. Approachable people also have an information advantage over those who are more difficult to talk to. Learn to greet them every morning. Believe in a better future, and then help make it happen. People are most likely to resonate with a leader who feels at their level but with the power to make their jobs easier and more successful. Keeping your door open will give the impression that you are welcoming your colleagues to speak with you if required. The more you know, the more options you have. The opportunity to innovate is something most of us want more of in our daily work lives. Make sure employees have non-work related activities and events planned, and that everyone feels valued on their teams. This superficially insignificant move can go a long way in building an image for you at work. One key leadership quality that is showing up more often on companies’ “most desirable” list is optimism. Keeping the door of your room open, sends a message to your office, saying that you are present, and you are not trying to avoid anyone. Don't fidget with your pen or the change in your pocket. 2. The more detailed-oriented and efficient you are at work, the greater the likelihood that you will excel and advance in your chosen career path. A simple ‘Thank You’ can be highly appreciated at the work place. Use an upright posture: Straight back and arms uncrossed. The trick to becoming more approachable at work is to develop good communication skills. Give them a chance to speak, and maybe share their own ideas with you. When situations aren’t ideal, it’s still possible to believe in the ability to overcome or recover and to plan better for the future. Your co-workers or employees have shared an idea with you which they seemed pretty excited about. We talk more about how to look friendly in the next section. Approachable leadership means paying attention and letting your team know that you are willing to go the extra mile for them. Maybe you have a few great ideas up your sleeve which you are sure would be a success. There’s no science to it, so think about the leaders you’ve admired in the past and their approach to humor in the workplace. Here are a few tips that can help you to manage well and become more approachable at work: Your body language conveys to others what you are not telling them through your words. Yet often, we feel we can’t be more creative at work because of factors beyond our control. Be disingenuous. Maybe you were doing this subconsciously, and did not mean to give off any wrong vibes. Instead, extend the conversation by asking them how their project is progressing, or whether they caught the most popular show on TV the previous night. Offer to help out another team member if you notice that he or she is overloaded. Show you’re invested in what they say. Set aside time in your week to check in with your team. This will help you strengthen the bond and open lines of communication at the work place. Joel Garfinkle conducts executive coaching and is the author of "Getting Ahead." This will help you be more approachable as people will know that they can discuss their ideas with you without you reprimanding them for it. By working with Garfinkle to make herself approachable, she was able to draw the team to her and build a high-functioning team. If You Must disagree, Do It With Respect: The Best Chrome Extensions for Recruiters Are, Coronavirus and Working From Home Policy Best Practices, How to Work From Home Remotely as a Recruiter, How to Prevent Coronavirus by Disinfecting Your Home, How to Write an Elite Executive Resume? Being approachable is key to building relationships with your colleagues, and to creating a strong team in which trust, confidence and ideas can flow. How To Become An Approachable Leader. These are simple gestures, actions and behavioural changes that you can imbibe into your personality which will help you become more approachable at work. How to Keep Candidates Engaged through the Hiring Process, What Can You Bring to The Company? This posture leaves your face confidently exposed to the world, rather than closed off and unwelcoming. Perhaps your company is risk-averse and likes to play it safe, perhaps your targets are intimidatingly aggressive, or perhaps the sheer size of your to-do list makes adding anything new feel impossible. It is not necessary that you must agree with whatever is being told to you in order to seem approachable. Instead, maintain eye contact with the person, nod and smile if you agree with what they are saying. So, work on cultivating personal connections with your colleagues, and allow them to get to know you. Some of the simple ways in which you can show your compassion and empathy is. Note: I’ve recently expanded my work on this topic and published the book, “The Proactive Professional: How to Stop Playing Catch Up & Start Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life). We have put together 5 top organization skills that will enable you to increase efficiency, maximize your workspace, effectively use information, and employ timely communication skills. Learn to greet them every morning. This doesn’t have to take up a large portion of your day and can often be done in the small moments near the coffee machine or the walk to and from a meeting. Sign up for our daily leadership news briefing today, free. Demonstrating that you care, even when everything is going right, makes it easier for people to come to you when they really need your help. Oftentimes, that will be by making time for them even when they don’t. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use| CCPA "Do Not Sell My Personal Information", Sign up for our daily leadership news briefing today, free, sign up for SmartBrief's daily leadership news briefing, more than 200 industry-focused newsletters, Leadership during the new normal: Inspiring others, The glass ceiling has moved: What women (and their mentors) need to know, Know these essentials for successful talent-focused leadership, Top 10: Restaurant help on the way, new line to launch at Target, Ferrero celebrates Easter, NAW's CEO shares how distributors are delivering, Solar farms embrace new tool to fight soil erosion, 4 questions to ensure successful stretch assignments, Coding teaches students the fun of “figuring it out”, CCPA "Do Not Sell My Personal Information", Make eye contact and practice open body language, Ask faux rhetorical questions, like “hey, how are you?” when you don’t have time for a real answer, Take on every issue or problem as your own; instead, encourage suggestions on ways to move forward, Allow people to fully answer before offering your own suggestions, Simply take on tasks; instead, clear barriers and empower others, Be specific about the problem you’re trying to solve and/or the kind of help you need, Be intentional but considerate when approaching people, Always ask the same people; share opportunities with your entire team, Be too self-deprecating; it can be uncomfortable and make others jump to your defense, Acknowledge issues, but commit to helping find solutions. How to Be More Approachable If you’re worried you are unapproachable — or if you know that one of your managers has this problem — here are some steps to make employees feel more comfortable. Stop perfecting Powerpoint and focus more on the “so what” of the slide. However, don’t push it too far—keep it light. Being approachable can work in your favour, as your colleagues or employees will be able to communicate more openly with you, which will help you create a good working environment and increase your overall business productivity. If you are working in a leadership role, being approachable is even more essential. Don’t be choosy with who you acknowledge -- greet those you don’t work with directly, including the clerical and maintenance staff, if you really want to say, “people matter.”. By shutting yourself off and expecting people to come up to you first, you give off an air of arrogance and make yourself seem unapproachable. Give your full, undivided attention; Ask follow-up questions Be sure to not disrespect the person’s opinion as you try to voice out your own. By expecting that people will want to talk to us, and allowing ourselves that confidence we start to mentally prepare and make our whole approach more accommodating for others. In short, put people first and cultivate both personal and professional relationships with your colleagues. The best leaders know when to crack a smile, when to add in a joke and when to just laugh along with everyone else. In order to make this a successful approach, you should be able to communicate your strategies or … 12. Imbibing these qualities and natural instincts into your workplace can greatly affect your work life. In order to be proactive, you must first develop foresight. When you can, ditch the tie or the formal attire in addition to the formal attitude. Proactive people are rarely caught by surprise. Predict. People are drawn to others with a positive outlook. Teams want someone who will help figure out how to do things better and then help make that happen, not someone to assign work and finish tasks for them. a company handbook, an ethics code, induction pack, disciplinary and grievance procedures). A small smile can go a long way. 10 Simple Tips, Top 30 Recruitment Mistakes: How to Overcome Them, What is an Interview: Definition, Objectives, Types & Guidelines, 20 Effective or Successful Job Search Strategies & Techniques, Remote Recruitment: Everything You Need to Know. How to Use Artificial Intelligence in Talent Acquisition Process? 19 Best Ways, Wisestep Chrome Extension: The Latest in Recruitment Automation, What is Talent Analytics: How It Matters in Recruitment. As your office starts to see you as approachable, they will find it easier to approach you and talk to you. While sitting, lean back slightly and make yourself comfortable. If … However, they decide not to. There is no single trick or hack to become more approachable at work. Some people take pride in the way they are able to put up an air of mystery around themselves. Just saying “good morning” builds your approachability and reputation in small increments every day. Asking for help provides opportunity for others to shine in addition to making sure you get the best solution and the right person doing the job. Playing the role of a serious, hardworking worker is not enough. How to Become More Detail-Orientated & Efficient at Work. By congratulating them sincerely when they have achieved something. If you enjoyed this article, you can sign up for SmartBrief's daily leadership news briefing. When you're approachable, team members do not sit on or cover up problems. Ask how about their tasks, about barriers they’ve encountered, about troubling factors and distractions from outside work. Create a process-oriented approach to workflow management. Encouraging employees to personalize and de-clutter their space can encourage a more conducive environment for being productive. This kind of friendly conversation will help you seem more approachable at work in the eyes of your co-workers and employees. However, those leaders often struggle to successfully set the conditions in the organizations they lead because they are not approachable. Don’t interrupt them; however, make small vocalisations so that they know that you are keeping up with their chain of thought. Get to know people, discuss nonwork matters and ask about them and the things they care about. However, upon further thought, you decided that maybe it was not the best time to put the idea into action at that moment. By extending your sympathies to a colleague or employee if they are upset over something. While you must find a system that works for you, there are some strategies that can help anyone become more organized and productive. Taking an interest in the opinion of others at your work place can be a great move for building interpersonal relationships, helping others feel validated and allowing people to voice out their opinions. If you want to ensure that your reputation for openness precedes you, read on for tips on how to be more approachable at work and improve your social skills. Consider allowing people to work from home to help them achieve a better work/life balance . This can make you seem more approachable. This also means boosting team morale and ensuring positive communication within the team. Don't just talk; make an effort to listen. Social anxiety is an issue that many people deal with on a daily basis, so do your best to make everyone feel comfortable. Top tips on how you can be more professional at work 1. Teams want someone who will help figure out how to do things better and then help make that happen, not someone to assign work and finish tasks for them. Instead of lashing out, getting angry or shutting them down, learn how to disagree without disrespecting. Whether you are an employee, or you are working at a managerial level, being approachable is a quality that you should imbibe in you. People always find it easier to approach a smiling face. Showing vulnerability and a sense of humor make you more likable and approachable. Beyond legal compliance rules, there are a range of documents covering professional conduct at work (e.g. Even better: Those who help you get a … © 2018 SmartBrief All rights reserved. The foundation of being strategic starts with being able to prioritize your time differently: Exercise 80/20 rule and do less on the detailed work – stop going to meetings where the value of your work is marginal. The proliferation of tactile mobile devices and new software tools that help make spreadsheets more visual and interactive should facilitate more dynamic, data-driven dialogue. Exude negative body language such as crossed arms, unfriendly facial expressions or a closed off body. You know from your own career that while tough, stoic leaders may be revered or even feared, they don’t have that gravitas to build a truly great team of high performers. Often, they will end up not approaching you at all. We are all taught from a very young age that we should learn to be friendly, be a good listener and be open to other people. There’s always going to be some separation between leaders and those who work with them. When you remember the option to continue down one path that had your attention or re-focus on your one, two or three priorities and get the important work done, you may make that choice. The less experienced might incorrectly think that taking the lead means never requiring assistance. Run the ideas by them and ask them what they think of it. No one wants to approach someone who is always grumpy. Make the first move; smile at your colleagues and employers. More than just a nice-to-have, the art of being approachable is a necessary attribute for effective leaders at any level or organization because it is a pre-condition of trust and open communication. While it is true that some people are naturally more approachable than others, it is also possible to make yourself more approachable to others. While your role may be more formal, try not to bring that rigidity into your demeanor -- people are more likely to approach those who seem more familiar and on their level. You can break the ice by sharing a hobby, or a story about yourself. Your colleagues, employer or employees will not view you as someone who is simply a working machine, but will also view you as someone who has compassion, who is understanding and thus, is approachable. Volunteer to cover a colleague's work while he is on leave. We also have more than 200 industry-focused newsletters, all free to sign up. Similarly, asking for help is something that great leaders do, and do regularly. Be calm and explain to the person why you do not agree with their idea or opinion expressed. You should be approachable enough so that your employees or co-workers can approach you with a problem; be it work related or personal, and you can extend a helping hand and your guidance to them. You let the office know that yesterday’s tensions are in the past and you’re ready to meet them all today for fresh new discussions. 1. Initiate conversations with your co-workers. Another way that you can be approachable to your colleagues and employees is by helping them feel like they are a part of your successes as well as your failures in the workplace. This would help you to develop an ideal team work situation and in the long run help in getting returns both in terms of higher productivity from your employees and also building better business relationships. Smile and make eye contact. The next step to being more conscious with your work time is to ... Others might want a more punitive or public approach, ... 10 Steps You Can Take To Become A Successful Young Leader At Work… Asking “how can I help?” is a powerful tool in the effective leader’s toolkit. There are times that require absolute seriousness, and those that require levity. As helpful as it might be, share your stories of success in the workplace to build up team spirit and morale, it is also important to share your stories of failure. People are drawn to those who share a genuine care and concern for others. This can make you seem more approachable. It is important to maintain a good body language at work. It’s available on Amazon here. While this characteristic might seem intriguing in a different environmental setting, it is least advisable to do so in the work place. A simple, unmindful move like this could make you seem unapproachable to your colleagues and your employees. At the workplace, if your colleagues deem you as unfriendly, stuck up, and not an easy person to talk to, you are seen as unapproachable. It may seem most effective to be all business, all the time, but good leadership includes making time to connect with others on a personal level. How to Answer, 150 Best Inspirational or Motivational Good Morning Messages, Why Research is Important for Students, Humans, Education. You have to try and be approachable not only to your boss or to your staff, but also to everyone else working at the office in all positions. Being more approachable 1. Take Initiative: This can be specially helpful if you are new to an office. A more novel approach to resilience training has seen workers utilize technology to self-regulate stress responses (Robertson et al., 2015). If you seem distracted with something, or are busy looking out of your window when someone is talking to you, it will make you seem unapproachable. However, sharing short anecdotes about your personal experiences can be a great way for others in the work place to view you as friendly and approachable. This can be specially helpful if you are new to an office. Your silence will only be recognized as an air of arrogance and ego which you have built around you, even if you did not mean to do so. Create a routine that helps you get the most important work done, take breaks at the right time, and leaves the last hour or so of the work day for less arduous work and preparation for the next day. If you want to be approachable, lead by example and physically keep your door open whenever you can. Initiate conversations with your co-workers. 10 Ways to Be More Mindful at Work. Studies have supported the role of mindfulness training on psychological resilience, therefore making it a helpful intervention in resilience training in the workplace (Joyce et al., 2018). Top 14 Reasons, How to Improve or Increase Your Brain Power? The most effective leaders draw people to them. To be approachable you need to act approachable The more helpful responses are easy to identify and hard to do, but I know you can do them. Being approachable, specially at work, is the key to building strong interpersonal relationships with your colleagues. People often find it more intimidating to approach someone at a higher authority when the door of their room is closed. It can be tempting to express frustration and cynicism in the face of bad news, but great leaders can acknowledge that there are troubles, while expressing confidence in the team to make the most of it and get things done. Make the first move; smile at your colleagues and employers. If you show your colleagues that you care, it will help you showcase your human side to them. 1. By exercising this small move, you will help put your colleagues or employees at the work place at ease, making you more approachable to discuss ideas and share opinions with. Use an open body language. Most people genuinely do want to help -- it’s human nature. Along with being a good listener, you can also share your ideas, thoughts and advice with your colleagues and employees. How Big Data Recruiting will help you Hire Better, ATS Benefits: How it Improves Time, Quality and Cost Per Hire, The Black Lives Matter Movement and the Workplace, Yoga at Workplace: Simple Yoga Stretches To Do at Your Desk, Mobile Monitoring Apps: A Risk or Opportunity for Businesses, Top 63 Motivational and Inspirational Quotes by Walt Disney, 81 Inspirational and Motivational Quotes by Nelson Mandela, 65 Motivational and Inspirational Quotes by Martin Scorsese, Most Powerful Empowering and Inspiring Quotes by Beyonce, What is a Credit Score? Forget those who don’t seek you out or cross your path regularly.Make an effort to strike up a conversation with team members who are more quiet or less comfortable in social situations. It does not have to be very intimate or something that you don’t feel particularly comfortable sharing. The more you help her achieve her goals and targets the more highly you will be valued. However, your body language made it seem like you do not wish to be approached. This simple phrase conveys so much -- it signals that you’re listening and are willing to aid in the solution. If you want to be approachable, think of the ways you can encourage others to come to you when they need you most. He’s ready to listen and hear you out. When someone at the work place has taken the effort to do something which is appreciable, take a few moments out to appreciate this effort. Employers appreciate employees who are able to consistently perform the responsibilities of … When you greet everyone warmly day in and day out, you convey that people matter to you. It is important to maintain a good body language at work. It is possible that you were sitting at your desk with your arms crossed and with a stern look on your face. Becoming an approachable leader is probably the greatest thing a leader can accomplish. Keep your hands relaxed at your sides or use them to gesture when making conversation. This type of leader makes you realize he is there for you. However, give others a chance to express their opinions. By apologizing for a mistake at work if you are wrong. This means that you must be polite, friendly and well-mannered with your working staff as well as customers and outsiders who might be coming to you for business meetings or otherwise. This includes avoiding frowning, having a friendly smile, making eye contact, and being expressive. While speaking skills are important in a workplace, it is also important to be a good listener. To be more proactive at work, develop simple methods that can aid in doing your work faster and more efficiently. If you sign up, you’ll receive the free e-book “41 Proven Strategies to Get Promoted Now!” His website GarfinkleExecutiveCoaching.com has over 300 free articles on leadership, workplace issues and career advancement. Approachable leadership means paying attention and letting your team know that you are willing to go the extra mile for them. Instead, you ask for more clarity on the company’s future and define tangible goals and targets that you can review when you revisit your salary request down the road. This is what an approachable leader is. 10.Become very self-aware and ask people close to you what you’re strengths and weaknesses are. You don't need to meditate every day to experience the benefits of mindfulness at work. Keep in … When the bosses door is closed a lot people will not want to knock and interrupt you. Maybe one of your colleagues come across you sitting at your desk and wish to come up and say hi to you. When someone comes at you with tough feedback, fight off your emotional response and try these instead: Thank them for sharing their concern with you. If you do not vocalise your decision with the person or do not explain the reason for your judgement, they might think that you are simply ignoring their idea and being arrogant about it. Don’t be quick to shut down ideas. It does not matter what kind of an industry you are working in; whether you are working under someone in an office, or you run your own business, being approachable is a key foundation for building up the pillars of how your work life will turn out. It is possible that someone is sharing their ideas, opinions or simply an incident that happened with them at your workplace. Stop touching your face or playing with your hair. There might be cases where you simply do not agree with what is being told to you. Follow company policies and rules. While it is great if you take the initiative and greet the person first, stopping the conversation dead in its tracks after the initial “Good Morning” can be quite harsh. Diversity Hiring: How to Hire More Diverse Candidates? Your approachability is measured in terms of how you convey yourself to others in terms of your body language, your response to others as well as your appearance. It is also advisable not to share personal stories. Give others a fair chance to feel like their contributions are worthy at the work place. When you come across a problem, offer up a … 2. Keep your head up and your shoulders square rather than slumped forward. Approachable leaders are leaders you feel comfortable going to. This will make you look like a normal person who has their shares of ups and downs in the workplace, instead of some super-human robot who is only capable of hitting home runs. Follow up from previous conversations – ask about kids, trips, activities. To become more flexible by overcoming limitations at your job, you could consider taking classes or special training to learn how to manage specific situations, work with team members and develop your problem-solving skills. Fixate on hierarchy; think of your role as leader as facilitator, not dictator. Adopt an open posture. If you are not seen as approachable, people will find it difficult to come up to you and initiate a conversation. That way, they will know that you can be approached a second time if they come up with another idea without you shutting the idea down for no good reason.
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