Know Thyself

Know Thyself - Below is an exercise to help us discover and develop our communication style by clarifying a little bit about our ideal self:

1.      List out the important relationships in your life – start by listing categories of relationships in your life (friend, sibling, co-worker, employee, etc).  If you desire, you may list specific individuals within each category.

2.      Consider each relationship.  If someone were to ask this person/group to describe you in 3 traits, what would you WANT them to say?  Don’t get caught up on what they would say, simply identify what you would like them to say.  Write down these 3 traits per category/relationship.

a.      These traits identify what you believe to be the best version of yourself within each relationship.  You value these things in yourself, and believe that through these things you add value to others.

3.      Take a moment to write down how you could better convey these newly identified relational intentions within each category.

4.      Whenever possible, before you go into a new meeting or interaction, pause for a moment and consider how to convey these top 3 traits throughout the meeting/interaction.  Keep a note in your car if it helps!

·         Pause before getting out of your car and going inside to friends, family, roommates, co-workers, staff, leaders, members, etc.  Breathe deeply to release tension from previous interactions, and think through who you are about to interact with, and how your best self would behave.  Think through how your initial interaction will go and the kind of energy you will bring in with you.

·         Stay authentic!  If something you are trying to do feels inauthentic, consider the underlying trait you are trying to emulate.  When you identified that trait as the way you want to be seen in that relational situation, is it possible there is a better, different word that would better describe the way your genuine best self would interact?

·         Take a moment between meetings/calls/etc to reset your intention and mentally choose to bring your best self to the next interaction.  A brief reset helps us more fully live in alignment with our core purpose values and mission.

·         Connection always takes energy.  Ensure you are taking enough time to fill your cup and attend to your mental and physical needs to enable yourself to have energy to give when trying to connect!

o   #1 relationship is with SELF!