This is an iHeart podcast, guaranteed human.
Run a business and not thinking about podcasting?
Think again.
More Americans listen to podcasts than add supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora.
And as the number one podcaster, iHeart's twice as large as the next two combined.
Learn how podcasting can help your business.
Call 844-844-iHeart.
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeart Radio.
Good morning.
This is Laura.
Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is that, when you are working with a new team, one of the best icebreakers you can use is for everyone to share a tip about how they like to work with people.
If you have any particular quirks or preferences, this is a great time to let people know them.
And this is a much more useful icebreaker exercise than most of the other ones people come up with.
Today's tip, like others we've heard in recent weeks, comes from Laura Mae Martin, author of the new book Uptime.
She was also recently a guest on my other podcast, Best of Both Worlds.
Martin notes that we all develop ways that we like working.
It is often helpful if other people know about these.
For instance, maybe you prefer to be asked complicated questions in person rather than by email.
Or maybe you prefer texting to email and phone calls.
Maybe you have an organization system where it is really helpful to get meeting agendas at least a day in advance.
Things get thrown off if you don't have it by then.
Whatever it is, it is helpful for colleagues or clients to know these things.
And you probably want to know their quirks too.
Sharing a tip for working with you normalizes being explicit about how you like to interact and work.
There are some office cultures where it is common for employees to have a personal user manual describing the way they work and their norms and preferences and procedures.
But even for an office culture where having personal user manuals is not the norm and, trust me, it is not the norm in most offices we do need to know how best to work with each other.
Not everyone works the same way.
Being aware of this can make a team a lot more efficient.
As for making the one tip for working with me concept an icebreaker well, I am sure we have all been in meetings where the proposed icebreaker didn't quite hit the mark.
Which fruit would you prefer to be?
People share fun facts that aren't particularly fun and might not be factual either.
Do you really need to know that your colleague once met Will Ferrell on the beach?
A tip for working with your colleague is going to be far, far more useful.
So if you are a manager and want to help your team work together more happily and efficiently, or if you are an individual contributor and happen to get the opportunity to lead an icebreaker, consider asking people to share a tip for working with them.
If you do, you will make people more aware of the variety of work habits and preferences in your midst and you can become a stronger team.
In the meantime, this is Laura.
Thanks for listening.
And here's to making the most of our time.
If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravandercam.com.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeart Media.
For more podcasts from iHeart Media, please visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Joy is essential and it's also elusive.
But now there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence.
Joy 101.
It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotb.
If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting and moving on-air chats.
Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Joy 101 and listen now.
Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb is presented by CVS.
My first guest is Terrence Hilton.
Shakira.
Luke and Yerin.
We have surprises.
Many surprises.
Welcome to the Sweet 305 podcast where the group chat comes to life.
What up?
You're the only person I know that loves a yellow Starburst.
It's lemonade.
This is Sweet 305.
Here, oversharing is encouraged.
Listen to Sweet 305 with Lele Pons on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
This is an iHeart podcast.
Guaranteed human.
