"The antidote for 50 enemies is one friend."
— Aristotle
While you may not feel you have 50 enemies at work, office politics being what it is, many workers feel that there is little loyalty or even honesty in their place of work.
Having a friend at work can temper some of the competition and ill will that seem close to the surface or perhaps right out in the open in many offices.
Positive Psychology researchers contend that one of the most important ways to improve one’s job satisfaction is by having a friend at work.
• Someone with whom you enjoy sharing lunch or talking to about the kids or the football game or the 3K race coming up Sunday.
• Someone with whom you can compare prices and benefits of one gym over another.
• Someone to whom you can reveal your less-than-complete knowledge or understanding of a product or an account or a file.
Having a friend helps to bring out the best in you. If you feel that someone at work recognizes your worth as a person and also shares your values, you will probably feel more confident in exercising your strengths and talents.
The more you can use your strengths, the more likely it is that you will be happy and have greater job satisfaction and greater productivity on the job.
How can friendships be encouraged within the office culture? What changes would you suggest?
I welcome your ideas—I’d love to hear what you think.
Also, please visit my website (www.nwcoaching.com) and sign up for my free e-newsletter.
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