Quote:
Originally Posted by soma
...should I talk to them about the work stuff, and include a "By the way, how was blah blah blah this weekend?". I actually feel like I know a fair amount about my coworkers, but just haven't really tried to talk to them that much.
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Yes.
You know what the books and experts say. Your issue is in the application. But all you've gotta do is try.
Ask how the weekend went. Ask about their kids, s/o. Say good morning and good night. Give a compliment on clothing/smile/desk photo when warranted. It's all about the small connections. You may feel insecure at first, but keep in mind that you're an enigma as far as they're concerned. You can make yourself approachable by adding little tidbits about yourself into conversations. Add subtle personalizations to work-related emails and give genuine smiles with eye contact when you're approached.
Can you think of other exercises that you can personally deal with to put yourself out there in other situations outside of work? It might help to find a social scenario that's not work-related to help build your confidence.
What's that line?
Always do the thing you fear the most. It's never as bad as we can build it up to be.