Category Archives: Teamwork
October 22, 2025 Why Open Yourself to Others’ Perspectives?
As we grow older, we might get wiser…or we might become more set in our ways! Sometimes, our openness and curiosity diminish, and we find ourselves with set preferences and perspectives. That can lead to shutting down others or making snap judgments about another’s ideas, behaviors, or points of view. And we might not even realize we’re doing it.
The Harm in Rigid Thinking
Being set in your ways limits you. You close yourself off to whole worlds of thinking, and you erroneously believe that your way is the “only” way or the “right” way. This can be damaging in any office setting, no matter the industry. And this can be doubly damaging if you are in a leadership position (either formally or as an informal team leader). Companies can never reach their full potential if ideas and perspectives are limited. Creativity and innovation is how you open new doors, reach new markets, and stay relevant.
Companies and leaders that live by “it’s always been done this way” are too inflexible to deal with any major changes. And the truth is, change is inevitable. Whether a company is dealing with a pandemic, changing market tastes, new technology, or any other foundation-shaking change, it’s necessary to roll with the punches, rethink the current system, and try new approaches.
Embracing Other Perspectives
This is why it’s so crucial to open yourself to others’ viewpoints and voices. When we make snap judgments, we close doors. When we’re uncomfortable with someone’s ideas, perspective, or even the way they are saying something, we might think or say things like:
“That will never work”
“No one will go for that”
“This isn’t in the spirit of the company” (Or: “this doesn’t embrace the company’s culture”)
“We don’t do things that way”
When you catch yourself closing to others’ ideas or making immediate judgments, it’s a good idea to pause. Acknowledge your bias or discomfort. Then, ask yourself, “What if…”
“What if this idea does have merit?”
“What if others agree, and I just haven’t realized it?”
“What if it’s time to reshape company culture?”
“What if the company can start modifying its approaches and try something new?”
The other important element in opening yourself to alternative perspectives is becoming an attentive listener. Instead of immediately coming up with a response, take the time to truly listen, absorb what is being said, and genuinely consider it.
Workplaces function best when everyone participates. When you promote a true “marketplace” of ideas, you open the door to all kinds of creative solutions, innovations, and new opportunities. As a leader, you play an important role in establishing the kind of open and welcoming atmosphere that considers new ideas, listens to everyone’s thoughts, and isn’t afraid to depart from the “same old” way of doing things. Start making an effort to open doors for others, instead of keeping them closed and locked.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: alternate viewpoints, better ideas and creativity, consider others POVs, margaret smith career coach, margaret smith leadership, open yourself to others perspectives, value others perspectives
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Communication, Teamwork
October 8, 2025 Why to Promote Positive Gossip
Office gossip can be a problem. If people are constantly belittling or criticizing others behind their backs, that can lead to a toxic and unwelcoming environment. No one wants to feel as if they have to constantly be on guard around their co-workers, lest they become the next subject of the workplace rumor mill. As a leader, your first inclination might be to shut down office gossip entirely. But what if I told you that might not be the best approach?
It’s Tough to Battle Human Nature
Human beings are naturally social creatures, and it’s exceedingly difficult to fully shut down the gossip pipeline. Our tendency to talk about others is part of what makes us human. We like to be kept in the loop, hear the latest news, and be part of the circle that’s “in the know.”
This can be especially true for those who are more social and extroverted. Their dynamics with other people are part of their core identity, and it’s important to be part of the office “connective tissue.” Looking at this through an Insights® Discovery lens, these individuals may lead with yellow or red energy. These two personality types are defined by extroversion, overt communication, and relationships with others (often more collaborative for “yellow energy” folks and more hierarchal for “red energy” folks).
For many offices, with their wide array of personalities and tendencies, stopping gossip and chitchat is like trying to dam a roaring river with only a few sticks. Rather than fight human nature, it is a good idea to try a different approach.
Promoting Positive Gossip
Rather than prohibit gossip, full stop, it’s possible to approach gossip differently. If people are going to talk about each other no matter what, why not put a positive spin on it? Encourage the good kind of gossip—the kind that compliments and uplifts others, and praises their actions.
The easiest and most natural way to promote this type of gossip is to model it. When you encounter a team member in the hallway or are having a one-on-one conversation on Zoom, throw in a compliment or two about other teammates:
“It’s a good thing Marissa is so on top of deadlines. That’s really helping us reach our client goals this quarter.”
“Ari is so creative. Did you hear his ideas in the last brainstorming session?”
“Juana is working so hard lately, even though I know she’s juggling work with childcare.”
When you bring up these types of compliments, make sure they naturally fit the flow of the conversation and come across as sincere. Make them part of your everyday discussions, and soon they will become second nature.
The other part of this effort is flipping negative gossip into positive statements. If, for example, someone complains about Juana missing the last deadline, you might say, “That is frustrating. However, I’ve talked with her and I know she’s juggling childcare with work. Because of that, she is working harder than ever lately, which is pretty admirable.” It’s possible to turn an office that engages in negative gossip into one that emphasizes the positive. Take it one conversation at a time, making sure you’re modeling the type of behavior you want your team to embody. After all, the river of gossip may want to keep flowing, but you can direct it into more positive territory, rather than attempting to stop it completely.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: margaret smith leadership, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, promote positive office gossip, turn gossip positive, workplace positive gossip, workplace rumor mill
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- Posted under Better Business, Communication, Teamwork
September 24, 2025 Building Can Be Better Than Creating
As a leader, it can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of change. We might attend a conference or discover a new program and want to implement what we’ve learned in the workplace. But large changes might seem more daunting than exciting to your team. Where you might see innovation and opportunity, they might see more work and tension. Or they may wonder what was so wrong with the old system. Rather than overhauling the system, there is a better approach to change.
Building on Strengths
Even in a flawed system, there are usually elements that work. Maybe a software program isn’t as efficient as it could be, but it’s easy to use. Or maybe your team is great at brainstorming new ideas, even if they never get implemented. Or perhaps individuals have many skills and strengths, but they do not tend to collaborate well with others. It’s a good idea to look for strengths before considering a complete system overhaul. Even if everything doesn’t work perfectly, you’ll likely find some elements that do work just fine.
Once you’ve identified the positive skills, habits, strengths, or attributes of your team, you can begin building on them. If the team is excellent at coming up with creative ideas, lean into that. Convey that you appreciate their talents and get them excited about stretching those skills even further while developing additional skills, such as time management or attention to detail. Set aside time for your team to really shine while also asking them to try something new.
When people are in their element, they are more likely to be open to constructive feedback and additional asks. Additionally, your team will probably be more willing to make changes when they play an active role in deciding how to approach the change.
Thinking about the creative team from the above example, you may challenge your people to come up with five potential solutions to improve meeting deadlines. Or you could ask them to brainstorm ideas for more effectively collaborating with the data analytics department.
Another part of building on knowledge and abilities involves language. Instead of focusing on and talking about deficiencies, start talking about positive traits that can be made even better. In the improv comedy world, the phrase “yes and…” is commonly used. Essentially, when someone is presented with a new, improvised situation, they can keep the scene going by accepting what is happening and building on it. This can create a back and forth that moves the action forward in new and often unexpected ways.
“I see you have a parrot.”
“Yes, and his name is Bill.”
“Yes, and I noticed he has a special diet of spaghetti and meatballs.”
“Yes, and he sometimes hosts pasta nights for his friends.”
This is a silly example, but the main idea is this: accept your team’s positive attributes and talk about how to build on them.
Yes, the team is great at customer service, AND they can use that skill to reach new markets.
Yes, the team is comprised of excellent individual performers, AND they can brainstorm ways to work better as a team.
The point is to leverage the skills and knowledge your team already has to make productive changes. Start noticing your people’s skills, tendencies, and attributes. Think about goals and areas of improvement. Then, work with them to co-create solutions to take the team to the next level. This is about building on what already exists, not starting from scratch.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: build on team's skills, building better than creating, developing team strengths, leadership and skill development, margaret smith leadership, Margaret Smith LP of Insights
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- Posted under Goals, Leadership, Teamwork
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