Last week I was in a conversation with a few people and the topic was around managing people – peers and seniors. While I am no expert when practicing for myself, I do have a fair idea on how to manage.
I have named this understanding and way of handling – ‘crosses and dots’.
Of all people you meet at work or in a personal setting – they can either be crossed off your list or dotted.
Crosses refer to not caring about what people say and think of you. So when you cross a person, you are letting go the person and the thoughts they come to you with. Dots, on the other hand, mean fine-tuning your approach to deal with people or tailoring the message that you intend to convey.
Why is that important?
It is because that person is important. Either by designation, position or there is some value that you see in the relationship and you can’t just let it fade away.
Let’s take an example. You don’t get along with a person you work with. Think for yourself, if you can function without this individual and you have the support of your leadership to run the show on your own? If yes, cross the person off. However, if your work demands to partner with this person, you will have to deal with this. Now ‘dealing with’ usually brings a negative connotation. It’s also not the right way to handle knowing that you have to spend time and effort with this individual. So, tweak the way you work. Tailor your message. Find out what should be done to manage these work interactions in a healthy way. It could be a pat on the back, a joke that you crack to lighten the mood, make the other person feel valued, so on and so forth.
Does that make sense? Let me know.
I am participating in the A To Z Challenge for the third time this year and I am penning Stories from everyday life.
happiness and food 
You’re making perfect sense. I work in such a small company, though. All four of us are equally important, so x’s and dots wouldn’t work for me. But I can see how it would work in a larger work group.
An Xt Called Stanley
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Hmmmm interesting way to deal with this Parul! I think I would find it very difficult to praise a person I am irritated with or dislike – tough one for me!!
Read my Peregrination Chronicles of travel tales laden with exhuberance and excitement!!!
Love of hotels
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Makes sense yes, thank you for the dos Parul :)))))
Natasha
natashamusing
Travel Epiphanies:
Xenial City of Nawabs
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Makes sense. I have a colleague whom I actually want to Cross but have to keep her as a dot. SIGH
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Makes perfect sense! In professional life as well as life!:)
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I liked this crosses and dots approach buddy and it’s a great way of sailing smooth at work.
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Sorry Parul this has gone over my head.
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It may work in business for a while, I guess, but it isn’t a good way to be honest with people and make friends. It’s “using” people, and knowing only the “right” people. Not my style. I have encountered people who “cross you off their list” before getting to know you. Their loss.
I’m afraid more people see through this than you would expect. I know when I am being used.
Donna Smith
Mainely Write
XSELNT
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We spoke about it and it makes so much sense as I read it now 🙂
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Great post for the letter X!
It does make sense. Sometimes we get stuck dealing with people we’d rather not associate with, and learning how to do that well is important. You could probably write a short book about it and sell it.
J — Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference and Speculative Fiction Writer
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
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