Avoid jumping in

There is a widely understood workplace pressure to move things along quickly.? There is no doubt it is important to get things done but sometimes you can jump in on something too quickly. Two examples to consider:

1.????? A colleague is sharing their thinking on something, and you want to say that you agree/disagree to move the situation forward or simply want to show some empathy with their thinking to create connection. If you jump in too quickly, the danger is you don’t fully hear what they actually say, they don’t feel heard, and it makes you look too eager to jump into their space. You also potentially don't get to the best outcome.

2.????? The person you are talking to at an event suggests they may have a need for the service you offer. Of course you want to position yourself to help. However, jumping in too quickly makes you look too salesy/desperate (!) and that you were just waiting for a business opportunity, rather than being interested in them overall. It’s much better to come back to the topic later in the conversation or even get in touch with them the next day; this also shows you have given it more thought.

In which situations, could taking a bit more time help you build a better relationship over the medium to long-term?

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Joanna Gaudoin helps professional and financial services organisations to excel at relationships to improve business performance through people development.

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