Connect Over Coffee

This past week, I had the delightful pleasure of meeting a colleague for lunch and two others for coffee. It reminded me how important informal communications are. So, when was the last time you used your coffee break to build rapport? To connect with someone you've been meaning to for ages? Or to simply say "thanks" to a colleague?

If you work in a large organization, chances are that you know all about "silos" - divisions that keep to themselves and rarely share information. For the entrepreneur, silos can also exist between yourself and suppliers, colleagues, and sometimes (heaven forbid), your clients. Without information being shared, the chance for synergy and innovation is greatly reduced while the chance for recreating the wheel (and spinning them too!) is increased. Here's the question: what could you do to encourage the sharing of ideas and information with people you know? Here's some answers that may work for you:

• Who needs to know? Don't wait for the other person. Define something you know that would be of value to someone else ... and then tell him or her. That's how you create synergy and build trust and rapport.
  



• Coffee anyone? Informal meetings are a great way to share information. Next time someone asks you for coffee, remember, it's not about coffee - it's about building relationships and an environment where communication readily takes place.




• Take a break. Everyone deserves a break, and you come back even more productive. Share that gift with a colleague or someone who needs a break as much as you do. If you use them wisely, taking a break could result in breaking a silo.

Positioning yourself as an approachable, proactive and receptive communicator will not only foster internal communications, it will foster innovation, brainstorming and exchange of ideas. Break those silos and reap the rewards of shared information. Besides, doesn't a coffee break sound great?!

PS: THANKS TO THOSE WHO JOINED ME ON FACEBOOK! Haven't visited our "MarionSpeaks" community on FB yet? It's not too late. Just click here www.facebook.com/MarionSpeaks and select "like". Let's keep the communications going on my "Facebook Fan Page" in between my blogs and e-newsletters. I look forward to hearing your comments on my frequent posts.

Until next time,

Better communication, better business, better life,

Marion Grobb Finkelstein Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author http://www.marionspeaks.com/ Marion@MarionSpeaks.com

© 2010 Marion Grobb Finkelstein

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