Encouraging empathy
In my post on “What tools are in your tool belt?” I cited empathy as one of the key skills for program managers. It’s something we look for in the program managers we hire at Zendesk, where I work. Program managers, and really all professionals, should bring empathy to bear to keep work moving forward during these challenging times. How do we do that?
- Listen. Our colleagues are telling us what’s wrong, but we need to ensure we’re tuned in to them.
- Intuit. In our diverse workforce, some will struggle to make themselves heard. We need to feel and sense what’s really going on.
- Care. This means we’ll be taking on others’ burdens. But that’s where the next part comes in…
- Solve problems. Once someone has shared a problem, we need to gather the right people together to come up with some solutions. And then find a way to unload that burden at the end of our work day.
Times are hard right now, in ways that we couldn’t have imagined. Now more than ever, we program managers can harness our empathy superpower to make things just a bit better.
Variety is the spice of life
Program managers are a funny bunch. I can say that because I’m one of them. We’re generally Type-A people who like to be busy. We don’t mind a break now and then, but once the break is over, we’re quickly back in the game! I’ve gotten the request more than once to “work on something a bit different.” I immediately ask if the program manager needs more work to keep them busy and discover that’s not the issue. They’re plenty busy. They love the teams they support. They just want a little variety in their work! At Zendesk, where I work, we’ve had program managers step up to work on programs for rethinking office space (super relevant right now), business resiliency (right in the thick of things), and social impact (very, well, impactful!) These opportunities have been fulfilling for the program manager and important to the business. It’s a win-win situation!
