Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.
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When you’re one of the only women in the office, developing the genuine relationships you need to advance can be a challenge.
o Look for easy ways to connect: Get to the office 10 minutes early and walk around to see who else is in. Use
o 30 seconds in the elevator to catch up with a colleague, or to find a time to do so. Arrive five minutes early to meetings and talk to someone you don’t know (instead of hiding behind your phone).
o Walk to the train with a coworker who’s going your way.
Being fully present in the office can help you make many more crucial connections. And don’t force yourself to take up hobbies or participate in activities just because your male colleagues like them. If golf isn’t your thing, that’s OK. Decide what you do like and invite a few colleagues along for the fun.
Adapted from “4 Ways Women Can Build Relationships When They Feel Excluded at Work,” by Brenda F. Wensil and Kathryn Heath
Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.