CAREER
Infectious
By Amy Wartham Director of Corporate Training
Have you ever heard of Ignaz
Semmelweiss? I had a biology teacher in college that talked about this guy and for what- ever reason, his name has always stuck in my brain. Semmelweis was a doctor who worked in Vienna during the mid-1800’s. His patients kept getting sicker. Then, after returning from a long trip, he discovered that his patients had gotten better. It appeared that he was making his pa- tients sick! Specifically, Semmelweis discovered his research with cadavers was transmitting “particles” that were making people sick. This was the precursor to germ theory and a major step in understanding the connection between cleanliness and health. In a lot of ways, we are each like Semmelweis when it comes to our attitude at work. We proj- ect “particles” that impact everyone we work with. We can either make people “sick” or make them feel better. Everything about your demeanor (verbal, non- verbal, smiling, not smiling, handshake, saying good morning, etc.) impacts others in the work- place. There are all kinds of “germs” that we can unknowingly pass onto others. We’ve all seen the funny cartoons that poke fun at the depressing things that can take place at work. We laugh, shake our heads and think to
ourselves how true that is at our workplace. You can choose to make your environment the kind of place you want to be. I’m not suggesting that you waltz in every morning like Mary Poppins singing “A spoon full of sugar helps make the medicine go down, the medicine go down, the medicine go down….” However, here are some suggestions for creating a more positive work environment.
Smile More. It takes fewer muscles to smile than frown. When you smile, it’s like opening a
window of sunshine. It just makes others feel bet- ter and chances are they’ll smile back at you. If nothing else, it makes others wonder what you’re up to.
Say Please and Thank You. My momma use to say “A please and thank you go a long
way.” This is so true. Instead of just barking orders , throw a please in there. If someone has done something for you, say thank you. It doesn’t cost a thing and the person walks away feeling appreciated.
Understand your communication
style and the style of others. Commu- nication is one of the key reasons for conflict in
14 Connect and Grow With Women In Our Community
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