Your favorite treat? - Leadership Questions #3
Build better work relationships faster by asking this question in your first 1:1 with coworkers
Question
What’s your favorite way to treat yourself?
Answers
Examples from my career
From a peer: Going for a run for deep focus and relaxing in a sauna. That made it clear how they value time to reflect in silence and how they care for their body.
From a team member: A special chocolate bar that reminded them of when they first moved abroad and started working in Austria. I love sweets too so it’s a simple, effective opportunity to connect. 🤤
My answers (expect people to ask you in return): Sweets or playing video games unapologetically. Depending on their reaction, this can become a much deeper conversation about my childhood and my biggest passions. 💖
Examples from the community
Got thoughts or additions? Drop a comment or slide into my DMs - share openly or anonymously. Let's chat! ✌
Be mindful
Share examples if necessary. As I work in a diverse, international environment in Europe, many of the folks I asked this didn’t get it at first. While sharing possible examples may bias the responses, it’s better to do that than get nothing and move on after an awkward moment of confusion.
Translate carefully in non-English environments. I struggled to translate this to my native language (German) the first few times I used it. Literal translations can lead to confusing results and translating “treat yourself” requires more nuance than I first expected.
Accept people not wanting to share. Very few people I’ve met at work didn’t want to answer this question. Don’t push when this happens.
Source
Hogan, Lara, Questions for our first 1:1, 19th July 2016
This one is CRUCIAL. I have a long document full of coworkers’ favorite ways that they reward themselves (e.g. a margarita, a massage at their favorite spa, a sushi dinner, a day off). You never know when you might need to congratulate or thank somebody in a special, meaningful way.
