Do it with those who energize you
The basis for relationship crafting – the part of job crafting that relates to human connections – is the understanding that human interaction impacts our energy levels and wellbeing to a large degree. If you ever had to work with a highly judgemental, dismissive and critical colleague, you would understand this concept well. Conversely, if you have a sense of camaraderie in your team and look forward to the daily collaboration, you can appreciate just how energizing human encounters can be.
Relationship crafting in your job can involve;
- changing who you work with on different tasks
- prioritizing who you communicate and engage with on a regular basis
- choosing who you would like to mentor, or be mentored by
- being mindful about who you choose to disengage or move away from, or work less with
- seeking to socialize with certain colleagues beyond the work frame.
You may not be able to work 100% of the time only with those people you have an affinity with, but perfection is not a requirement. Relationship crafting calls for mindfulness about the type of people who energize you, trust you, encourage you and make you feel good about yourself and your abilities. Such connections are empowering, strengthening and inspiring – all the more reason to include more of them in your working life, and in your life generally.
Take a moment to consider the extent to which;
- You make friends with people at work who have similar skills or interests
- You choose to mentor new employees (officially or unofficially)
- Your opinion is sought and taken into consideration regarding projects, priorities or activities with and within the team
- You feel comfortable to simply be you with your teammates, without having to play a role
- You proactively disengage from people who belittle, judge or discourage you.
- You show care for colleagues in need.
