In a utopian workplace, I believe that collaboration between colleagues would be founded upon a shared desire to serve. The question “How can I make this easy for you?” would be foundational.
Here are three examples of making things easy:
1) A colleague with several food allergies was due to spend a two-month stint in DR Congo, supporting Medair’s communications and project implementation.
Before finalising her visit itinerary, she checked with us (the in-country team) about the availability of certain foods, and stocked up before coming so that she could be somewhat self-sufficient. Because of this, we were much better positioned to accommodate her allergies than if she had notified us on arrival and been wholly dependent on us to provide for her needs.
She had asked herself the question: “how can I make it easy for them?”
2) My colleagues in senior leadership regularly receive policy documents and calls for proposals. For each one, they need to take decisions about ensuring compliance or choosing whether to pursue funding.
I am often asked to summarise these documents and to identify key information or make recommendations on what decisions to take. In doing so, I’m able to reduce the time and brain power that my colleagues expend in the process of making the decision.
I genuinely feel privileged to provide this kind of service. I’m making things easy.
3) Part of my work in humanitarian communications involves reviewing articles written for Medair’s website.
I pay particular attention to figures presented, trying to ensure that they are from a credible source, up-to-date, and presented accurately and fairly. I really appreciate it when the figures that my colleagues have included are properly referenced, with a web link provided. This makes the review process so much more efficient than the times when I need to conduct my own online searches to check and verify.
We’re back to that fundamental question: “how can I make it easy for you?”
Answering the question requires each of us to be mindful and to develop perspective, but it’s worth the time invested.
Posing the question also tells a story. How much do you care to make things easy for your colleagues?