Once a week, take a STEM or Left Brain Colleague to coffee! Yes, I am not crazy. I have not lost my marbles. Oh, and if you are reading this post, and happen to be one of those STEM or Left Brain professionals, you know what your mission is. Find a non-technical, non-STEM colleague and take them to coffee.
You will be amazed at the outcome, both personally and for your professional development.
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First, you have more in common with your STEM or left brain colleague, than you think.
At the end of the day, you are both human beings. Albeit, you may solve problems differently. And, perhaps how you solve problems annoys the other person. However, the good news is that you both solve problems. And when you solve problems together, instead of separately, your clients benefit. Think of the implications of your actions, over coffee, on future employee experience and customer experience.
Next, you will discover more to talk about with your STEM or left brain colleague than just work.
That aspect is the great part of this exercise. Explore the common denominators of your non-working hours. And, if you spend way too much time at work, or taking work home, I’d say you have a common problem to solve, together.
Then, compare your own network with the network created by your STEM or left brain colleague.
How can you update and upgrade your professional networks? How do these updates and upgrades impact both of your career trajectories?
Chances are, you both know some really interesting colleagues. Perhaps these colleagues currently are outside of your professional comfort level. In terms of job titles, pay grades, professional disciplines, level of education, you name it. However, when you refer each other to your own networks, the door opens for you both to explore.
Sometimes, the simplest workplace actions we take carry the most professional weight, over the long haul. Each week, invite a STEM or left brain colleague to coffee. Gee, even lunch. What starts out as an obligation or a curiosity can end up being the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Enjoy! 😉
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Babette Ten Haken‘s One Millimeter Mindset™ Storytelling for STEM Professionals and Left Brain Thinkers speaking programs are created for organizations and associations who want to catalyze stakeholder success and customer retention. There is no better way than storytelling to bridge communication disconnects between professional disciplines, paygrades and levels of education. Her programs are forged from her background as a STEM professional in clinical research, new product development, market research and sales. Find out more right here. Babette is a member of SME, ASQ, SHRM and the National Speakers Association. Her playbook of communication hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com. Babette’s speaker profile is on the espeakers platform. Contact her here.
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