Sickness vs. symptoms approach
When people come with specific problems or concerns during 1:1s, try and dig deeper to diagnose the root of a problem.
- When someone is particularly stressed or tense, and they don't know why, ask them things like what part of the day these feelings are the strongest. This allows you to identify triggers, be it meetings, people, or certain types of work.
- Ask: "Where's your head at?" This simple question can give them a chance to talk about what's bothering them.
- To get people to open up, model the behavior. Be open and honest about your own life, problems, and concerns, regardless of where someone ranks in the organization.
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