?? Planting Seeds of Connection: ??9 Questions to Ask to Connect Deeper in 2023

Career connection isn't just about networking. It's much broader and deeper. Here are 9 questions to ask to connect deeper in 2023 with yourself, others (like your partner, your colleagues, and your yet-to-be connections), and your organization or employer:

Connecting with Yourself

• Are you resting and recharging to make the most out of productive hours and keep your life in balance? This challenge by Jessica Ivetich is a refreshing reminder not to leave time off work on the table. As she shares, "the average employee has $3,000 in unused Paid Time Off (PTO) (FastCompany)"! Let's challenge ourselves to leave the guilt aside and feel good about taking time off so we can perform well when we're "on" in 2023.
• What are times in your life when you’ve felt completely aligned with what you’re doing? Check out the Reflected Best Self Exercise by the Center for Positive Organizations and questions to help us build on what's worked well for us, what has motivated and driven us, and what makes us feel happy so we can do more if it in 2023.
• Job seekers, and career growers, are you updating your resume to include Result, Action, Situation (RAS)? Sarah Johnston reminds us to lead with results, highlight what actions we took to get there, and set context concisely to tell our story of impact for potential employers.

Connecting with Others

• In the spirit of balance and fulfillment that spills over from personal life to work to feel more whole, are you connecting with your partner monthly? Here's the idea of a "Life Dinner" shared by Ben Meer on the Tim Ferriss podcast to check in with your partner, identify positive moments of love and areas of improvement individually, and together.
• Are you prepared, and how have you prepared before sending the email to set up a coffee chat or networking call? Preparing more up front through research and thinking through potential mutual benefit before reaching out to connect with someone can make the difference so that time spent together is both productive, and impactful. Check out my *NEW* free downloadable hand-out: Career Connection Networking Prep Sheet to help guide you in the steps leading up to sending that networking email or request for a coffee chat in 2023.

• How might empathy impact us in negative ways? Are we embodying others' feelings so much that they are causing personal distress? We can balance this risk by acting and feeling from our 'Care System' and compassion (shifting from our own distress and emotion to taking care of others and benefiting them), making us more resilient and healthy. This video from BBC illustrated by Danielle Rhoda on the 'Dark Side of Empathy' and Stephen Trzeciak, MD , author of Compassionomics helps us examine this concept.

Connecting with Your Organization

• How should you move forward, or or should you move forward, with an organization that's going through restructuring (including layoffs) or Voluntary Separation Programs (VSPs)? Richa Bansal shared her questions and points to consider to rationalize a decision you may be faced with if your employer is making big changes. When we're shocked by big news like layoffs or role eliminations, we often go straight to emotional reactivity, and less to rational thinking. These considerations can be helpful with any job change or career direction-setting strategy you may be experiencing.
• How might you overcome burnout and energy depletion from the end of the year and re-energize your team in 2023? These strategies from Ron Carucci and Kathleen Hogan , Chief People Officer at 微软 ) including creating rituals, listening for queues from team members, and modeling being okay with not being okay can create open, honest communication at work for more energy and fulfillment in the new year.
• Are you creating guided training and talent & leadership development opportunities for your teams, employees, prospective new hires, new hires in onboarding programs, and affinity or Employee Resource Group (ERG) members to connect deeper and more meaningfully in 2023? Are you helping your teams connect more strategically across internal teams, and with clients, partners, and customers? Whether you're looking to retain employees, nurture customer loyalty, help your new team members feel empowered to connect across your organization so they can be more resourceful, and feel more included and fulfilled at work, explore the learning and development workshops and programs I'm offering in 2023 with my first annual free downloadable Opportunities Knock 2023 Catalog of Learning Programs and Services and set up a free consult to brainstorm ways we can partner.

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, inspiring, and connected 2023!

??Have a knockin' New Years!??

Rebecca

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