Do this to figure out how to communicate brilliantly in your new job

A little story about learning to walk. 14865 kilometres from home. And how this can help you communicate well in your new job with new colleagues.

I was in a weirdly high top bunk bed in a shared room, even with sunglasses on, the searing white light of the afternoon bouncing off the pavements was blinding and I really was far, far away.

But the thing that freaked me out?

Walking.

I went backpacking on my own in my 30s. One of the best things I ever did. Still remember tearfully giving my hiking boots ‘to a farm’ many years later. But that’s another story…

My travelling took me to Perth, Australia. The flight there was over a desert that went on and on.

And then on and on.

During my time in Perth something surprised me.

I had trouble walking.

To be specific, it was walking on the pavements without bumping into people.

I found this to happen moreso when there were south east Asian people around. And there were a lot of South East Asian people in Perth.

Let me explain. I’m from the UK and my perception of social distance and personal space was very different to theirs. I was used to more personal space around me. So, there were lots of near misses.

From my cultural lens it looked like people were about to walk into me.

But in reality they were walking extremely close by me.

It was a bizarre experience. I literally had to learn to walk a different way and read people’s body language anew.

New team? New job? New company? Do this

When we start to work in a new team, job or company, things can be different.

And that includes how people communicate.

Because different workplace cultures communicate differently.

This can effect the kind of language that’s used.

If they use a lot of words to say what they mean.

Or very few.

If manners are huge and there’s lots of smiles and thank-yous and it’s important to be kind and gracious and chatty and how-was-your-weekend?

Or if it’s pretty chilled and casual.

Or to the point.

Transactional.

If you’re in a new situation at work and communication is bamboozling, here’s my advice: stop.

Have a really good look around you.

Watch.

Pay close attention.

What are you noticing?

What’s happening with the communication?

What are people doing and not doing?

What’s being said and how is it being said?

That way, I can guarantee that you’ll be doing a lot less “bumping” into people and you’ll be learning to “walk the talk” – couldn’t resist that one, sorry, it was just THERE waiting, you know.

And if you’d like some support to get your communication skills in tip top shape and get your career going places, book a power hour with me and we can start getting you heard, seen and valued at work.