After we’ve been away, or others we know have, it is always valuable to catch up. Today, I spent a good portion of the day catching up with staff members after my conference. There is always much work to do, so taking the time to share happenings and reacquaint ourselves is worthwhile; the work will always be there for us when we’re ready.
While it might seem as if we need to jump right in and get started, there is value to taking the opportunity to discuss where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. Otherwise, we never truly have a bridge from being away to returning.
Catching up doesn’t have to be anything special, and it doesn’t have to require much on our part other than taking a few minutes to chat, listen, and be present. Taking the time to do this not only helps to build and sustain relationships, but it also encourages a community of sharing, where everyone is happy to share their positive and negative experiences, and where we get to know others through the adventures they’ve led.
I didn’t quite get to everything I had planned (hence one of the reasons why I’m typing this post up at 10 PM), but I did get to have in-depth conversations about my experience in DC with a number of my colleagues. Since we can’t always discuss these types of things, and since 10 PM will always be there, it seemed appropriate to focus on the people first, and worry about the work second!