Speaking Up.

If there is one thing I have learned from the places I have worked, it's that people tend to have an incredible amount of anxiety when it comes to conversation with people who are higher up than their immediate supervisor. It always seems that the higher that person sits, the more anxiety people have when it comes to starting and holding a conversation with them. Having a unique perspective with a father who is a CEO of an organization comes with a unique perspective of conversations with other high level leaders I have met. So if you've ever been anxious, felt intimidated, or uncomfortable talking to someone with authority over your work, this blog will outline three things you can keep in mind to comfortably conversate when 'Speaking Up.'

They are people.

This is by far the most important to keep in mind. So often I hear people talk about the leaders higher up in the organizational ladder as if they are some royal power too worthy of being bothered when in reality, that couldn't be further from the truth. They are people, just like you. They get stressed about work, they go home and often times still have dinner to make, dishes to wash, laundry to do, and children to care for. They enjoy laughing, they have friends, they still wait in line at the grocery store and they still worry about if they are even doing anything right. Better yet, great leaders understand these things so well along with their love of being an influence so much, that they truly just wish sometimes that people would have a normal conversation with them! If you get the chance to tell a joke, tell it. (Although keeping it PG is always safe as inappropriate jokes are much more distasteful in the workplace) When you keep in mind their reality, that they truly are just people who have been fortunate enough to end up where they are, you're sure to learn of the value they have for you and get a better understanding of just how much you likely have in common. With that, you might also learn how many leaders truly aren't sure how they got so blessed as to be in the position that they are in.

Their time is valuable.

The heading may seem to be, but this is not contradicting to that first point; just something that should be well respected. While they are still just people, they are typically busy. If you come barging into their office with zero regard for their availability, you are likely going to frustrate them. On the other hand, if you show respect for their availability and time, you are likely going to impress them. A great way to do this is just asking, "Hey, do you have a few minutes?" or, "Do you mind if I bother you for a couple minutes?" They will be honest, if they are busy at that moment they might say something along the lines of, "Give me like 20 minutes to finish this up and then I'm more than happy to talk to you." If they have a tight schedule that day it might be more along the lines of, "Today really isn't a good day, but ___day is usually a pretty free day for me if you want to stop by then." And if they aren't busy or are just working ahead on some things they might say, "Yea, come on in." Regardless, they may not show it, but they will surely note your intentional effort to respect their time and better yet, they will value it.

They have a different perspective.

Again sounding possibly contradictory, it's more just something to keep in mind. I know a lot of people I have worked with that when they finally get the chance and have the courage to talk to an organizational leader, they feel valued and want to tell everyone how great of a leader said person is. However a few weeks later then they get the chance again and this leader doesn't remember them, they are instantly the worst leader and disrespectful to people below them and now the person feels undervalued. This quick change in emotion is ALWAYS due to a lack of understood perspective. Never forget that you are one person trying to make a work connection with someone who likely has hundreds if not thousands of workers (likely both inside and outside of your organization) trying to make a connection with them also. You are trying to remember one face and they are trying to remember multiple. Show some grace, it might take meeting them two times or maybe even twenty before they remember you, but be okay with it. With the amount of people I have seen express their frustrations with this type of scenario, that leader will likely be thankful for you just in the fact that you showed them grace when they couldn't remember your name.

Work relationships are important, and getting to know the people above you is a great way to get your foot in the door for future opportunities and even just to get yourself in front of some great mentors. They truly are just people, but remember that their time is valuable, so respect it, and their perspective for meeting people in the workplace is likely much different from yours, so have some grace.