A study involving breast cancer patients found a strong link between supportive social connections and improved survival rates in breast cancer survivors, aligning with research on the importance of positive relationships in childhood development. Connection is essential for personal and collective success.
How can I improve my connection to others?
- Listen attentively, paying attention to cues like tone of voice, word choice, and body language.
- Reflect back to show understanding and validation. Acknowledge their experiences, such as saying, “I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling with your workload.”
- Avoid assumptions by recognizing that everyone’s experiences are unique. Don’t assume you fully understand their situation, even if you’ve faced similar challenges. Instead of saying something like, “Oh, believe me, I’ve been there,” try, “what are some strategies you could use that might help you feel less overwhelmed?”
- Ask meaningful questions that foster trust and deeper connections. A simple “How can I best support you?” provides support and opens the door for potential solutions.
Recognize that, at first, some people may have a hard time asking for help. In healthcare, many people know that everyone is shouldering a heavy load so they may be hesitant to request assistance. Sometimes, all they need is a few minutes of your time and some good questions to identify priorities and practice some time management approaches.
Encouraging team members to share when they feel overwhelmed, stuck, or in need of assistance can build connection and a stronger sense of community. It helps to normalize that they are not alone in feeling they have too much to handle. It also encourages the sharing of strategies between team members which builds resiliency when we recognize we’ve found solutions that can work.
Grant the team permission to express their limitations honestly is important. Encouraging team members to share when they feel overwhelmed, stuck, or in need of assistance can build connection and a stronger sense of community. It also allows for brainstorming together. Sharing strategies between team members builds connection and resiliency.
Embracing interdependence leads to greater achievements. Independence should not mean doing everything alone.
