Breck and Sally both made friends at work! In this episode, they compare notes on the shared interests they had with women at work, and how that translated to friendships outside of work.
They are joined by guest Natalie Underdown, Ph.D., from The Nu Company. While in the corporate world, Natalie also made a great friend at work, with a woman that she collaborated with and connected with across time zones. Through their international travel and shared projects, they became close.
Natalie is:
“driven by the idea that we truly can change the world through business if we’re willing to #dotheworkatwork.”
This applies to work friendships too! Bringing your personal self to work means bringing your most authentic self, and provides the opportunity for more authentic friendships.
We talk about all things company culture and how organization culture has evolved over time. Millennials are pushing their companies to enable employees to bring their whole selves to work.
Natalie shares that when it comes to female friendships at work with a boss or direct report, it's best to keep a healthy distance. Boundaries can be helpful with the power dynamic of a boss/direct report. When you're peers or on the same team, however, building a friendship outside of work can only help the relationship.
We chat about all things culture, behaviors, and how companies can encourage camaraderie and connection amongst their employees. We also dig into what happens when you get promoted and your prior friends now report into you.
Does remote work help or hinder building friendships at work? You'll have to give the podcast a listen and hear Natalie's take!
At the end of the day, consider what role you'd like your work friends to play in your life. For any healthy relationship, it's important to be able to show up as your whole self, which might not be possible with certain work friendships, and it's important to understand that. But some work friendships can be an incredible thing because they know what you're dealing with Monday through Friday!
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Natalie is an executive coach and organizational psychologist. She weaves psychology, wellness, and science-backed strategies together to offer modern, mindful support for the whole person at work. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband Preston and Golden Retriever Bowie Girl and can often be found trying out new restaurants, walking with Bowie, or diving into anything creative (lately it's been painting!). Follow her at @the_nu_co.
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