Yes, it’s true. January 22nd is the day you sit with your cat and attempt to understand him better by answering all his questions.
Before you think I have gone completely mad, I do know that cats cannot speak human, and humans cannot speak cat.
The idea is to put yourself in the cat’s place, to look at the world through your pet’s eyes. You can probably think of some of her questions straight away – for example, she probably wants to know why she has to eat her cold meal from a bowl on the floor rather than jumping up to the table with the rest of the family.
She also wants to let you know how upset she is by your screams of disgust when she brings you a present of a nice warm mouse.
So, where am I going with this?
We all know somebody who perhaps does not seem to fit in with the rest of the team. Everybody else gets wildly excited when the company wins a new contract, but his facial expression does not change, he stares into his computer screen during the online staff meeting and does not even crack a smile.
Then again, when the job she is working on is done, she makes no attempt to find out what everybody else is doing or if they need help. She also shies away from making any suggestions that might help the company, such as identifying new products or services, or talking about the company to people she knows. When she is solving a problem for a client, she does not engage the client in any kind of conversation, and so misses the chance to find out if they have any other issues she can resolve.
What’s the answer? Put yourself in your team member’s shoes and try to view the company from his point of view. If he does not speak much, is it because he is shy or lacking in self-confidence?
If she is not thinking about opportunities, is it because she lacks imagination, or is it because she thinks that whatever she suggests, more assertive people in the company will shout her down or ridicule her, so she says nothing.
Every team member is important, and everybody has a contribution to make. Just because somebody is quiet or appears disconnected, does not mean they are, they can just be shy or unwilling to enter the fray of louder or more senior staff. Put yourself in their shoes and see the world through their eyes and it can be surprising how much you will learn by answering their questions!
Diana
Chief Executive Officer
