Blog Post
The Power of Personal Connections
Rida Lasne, VP of Finance • Jul 12, 2020
Medium Article Link
Building a personal connection with those you work with doesn’t just enhance productivity, but also enables you to enjoy the process of accomplishing your goals.
During my senior year of high school, I began working as a tutor at my local Kumon center. My first set of students were two young boys in kindergarten who were working on third-grade level material. They were evidently bright, yet their personalities couldn’t be more different. Instead of asking for help when needed, one student would stare at his page in hopes that I would notice. The other would refuse to do his work and often threw a tantrum when instructed to work independently. I quickly learned how to adapt to each of their learning styles and personalities to help their academic progress.
The quieter boy was shy and scared of speaking up, which made sense. He was surrounded by children that were older than him, and to a five-year-old, an eight-year-old seems incredibly intimidating. I knew that I couldn’t give him 100% of my attention as I had to work with roughly six children every hour, but they were all seated near me, close enough if they needed to ask for help. After recognizing this problem, the next time he spaced out I informally told him to “poke” or squeeze my hand when he was stuck. This way he didn’t have to single himself out or bring more attention to himself. I saw an immediate impact; the ten minutes he would spend staring off into space waiting for me were now quickly reduced and spent finishing his worksheets. Not only was he making more academic progress, but the bigger smiles on his face indicated that the small bond we had built had made him feel more comfortable.
With my other, more disruptive student, I had chosen a different approach. I noticed that he was extremely talkative and would lose focus quite quickly. To combat the tantrums, I tried to lessen his resentment towards the tutoring center by encouraging him to talk to me. Our conversations became a reward for him. Over time, I noticed a change in his behavior. He would come in less upset and would ask if he could tell me a story. I responded by explaining that he needed to finish his assignment, but after, he could share his story.
To help both of these students academically succeed, I understood what was inhibiting their progress and implemented a solution. The more comfortable these children felt with me, the more compelled they were to learn. I made it a personal goal that every week my students were greeted by a familiar face and felt supported.
Although these are only two out of the dozens of children I interacted with during my time as a tutor, those I worked with individually, I learned that a small bond goes a long way.
Our relationships influence far more than in our work environments. Humans are innately social creatures, we crave connections. Making and maintaining these connections brings color to our lives. Whether it’s going on vacation, working on a group project, or even going on a walk, if we’re surrounded by people we look forward to being with, we enjoy our time. We’re motivated to do better, achieve more, and accomplish great things with the support of the people we admire.
Take a moment to reflect. Do you have special people that make life easier? If so, comment down below or connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear your stories!
