Colleague Connection Walk

SUGGESTION: Please consider walking with a colleague with whom you do not have much of a personal connection or who is in a different department from you!

Loop 1: Similarities and Differences

As you walk the first loop, seek to know and be known by sharing things about yourself (personal or professional) that may be similar to or different from your walking partner(s). Be sure you start off by learning each others' names!

Consider the following prompts:

Personal: favorite foods and drinks; pets; family structure; sports teams; memorable trips and vacations; past- times and recreation; what you wanted to be when you were a kid; best or worst memories from school years

Professional: length of time in education and in R2; site(s) you've worked at in R2 or elsewhere; current or former bosses; most memorable, colorful and interesting people in R2; insights into R2's strengths and weaknesses; favorite or least favorite work memories

Loop 2: Professional Connections

Each person take some time to explain their core work and professional job description.

After everyone has shared, try to make connections between/among everyone's roles. Seek to find ways that each person's jobs interact, overlap, connect with and support the work of the others.

If there is time, share current challenges in your department that you and your team are facing.

Loop 3: Synergizing

On this last loop, take time to give thoughts and insights into the current challenges that each of you are facing. Consider connections that could be made to resources, other personnel or ideas that would help each other move forward more effectively.

Try to think of ways that each of your jobs could better support the others. Consider if there are ways that your departments could better communicate with other departments and/or sites to increase productivity and synergy across the district.

If you have any major strokes of genius, please share your ideas with your team and supervisor when your walk concludes!