Cookie (our lovely little doggie) made some new friends on a Sunday walk. What makes her bark and get angry when she meets some doggies, while she enjoys the company of others? She met Shawn and Pepper (two little Dachshunds) and had fun with them. And then there was a handsome white knight, who courted her for the entire walk, and finally made an impression thanks to his persistence. Watching my furry friends in action was a great reminder about the fun of meeting new people. Approach these meetings with curiosity and openness and the possibilities emerge.
I came across a tweet recently that asked the question “who is the most interesting new person you met in 2021?” A host of coaching clients came to my mind. Not just one. I realised that I have learned so much from so many new people who have come into my life, courtesy of my soul2sole coaching adventure and a new career journey that I began at Adfactors PR, earlier this year. Meeting new interesting people is the best way to keep growing.
Thanks to my weekend coaching sessions my world has opened up with so many new people from all walks of life. As they opened up their lives to me, I have got such great insights into the human psyche and the important link between the ‘Human Being’ and the ‘Human Doing’ – the power of this connection becomes clearer to me each day. Their life journey, their energy, their stories, struggles and successes, inspire me and touch my life in so many ways.
More recently I have also started meeting my colleagues in the office and clients in person, finally getting to know them a bit. In the early part of the year, I got to know their work and their skills and talents. Only recently, once I started going into office, did I get the chance to begin to know them as people and that is what makes life interesting.
A flavour of what I mean comes alive through this example. We had a leadership team lunch meeting, and were heading out to the restaurant from the office. One of my colleagues (who I was meeting for the first time in person) let’s call her Angela, came up to me and said “we are all going out for lunch, I think it would be a good idea to order something special for those who are staying back in the office”. In that instance, I got to see a side of Angela, that 10 months of screen time had kept hidden. Teams are built and nurtured by people who care for people. Angela is someone I look forward to getting to know more in the months that follow.
At work or otherwise, there is much to be learned and enjoyed by opening up and meeting new people. Every new conversation opens up new possibilities. A thought expressed. An idea shared. A comment that struck a chord. I carry all of these in me and with me. They shape me in ways I could not possibly imagine. I am exploring autobiographical novels for the first time. In a way, it’s like meeting a new person as well. A chance to see the world through someone’s eyes. Social distancing does not mean we need to become less social. The opposite seems to have happened to me. The lock down has opened me up to new possibilities. As I look back on the last two years, I seem to have been nudged into exploring so much newness and as a result, met and engaged with so many new people.
As the year ends, a good time to ask yourself “Who is the most interesting new person you met recently?” It is often said that a person is known by the company they keep. An equally good time therefore, to ask yourself “Who am I going to be in the company of in 2022?” Keep exploring and expanding that world of interesting people and your world will expand too. Open up. Go explore the year ahead in search of interesting people and you will find yourself. Like Cookie reminded me, approach these new people with curiosity and openness, allow for the possibilities to emerge.
Start living intentionally. What is your purpose? How do you plan to stay aligned with it in the year ahead? Make a list of the interesting people you plan to meet in 2022 and make it happen.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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