Friday, September 23, 2022

Relational Awareness: Raising Our Relationship Game

"The apple never falls far from the tree." What makes us tick? Each of us carries history, baggage to embrace or to change.

Within a team, that means lots of stories, some of which we know and others we do not.

Master therapist Esther Perel encourages us to look within to understand our stories better. Chuck Daly said, "I'm a salesman." We are also psychologists. 



Take a few moments to examine our upbringing? 
  • Were we raised to be self-reliant or more interdependent?
  • How important was loyalty to us?
  • Were we adventurous or inclined to stick to the safe path?
  • How did these styles affect our relationship expectations? 
  • Did they affect our choices and results?  
If we think a player is "selfish," how can we reach her and help her change. Some players may not be selfish enough. Do we know our players well enough to tailor our communication to their style? Are they conflict avoiders or conflict avid? 

Players aren't made from cookie cutters. Some are "high maintenance" and need more attention. Understanding our and their relationship style might help us help them. 

We don't need to know everything about everyone. But sometimes we benefit by knowing more and being curious. Players may not want to reveal more, but they may thank us for caring enough to ask. 

Lagniappe.
Lagniappe 2. What do you see? What could it be?


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