📝 Don’t Escalate, Connect: A Human Approach to Office Coordination

🔹 Introduction

What’s the difference between a team that merely functions—and one that thrives under pressure? After 13 years across diverse teams and projects, I’ve learned: it always comes down to genuine human connection. Yes, skills and efficiency matter, but building trust and empathy across departments is what ensures long-term, frictionless success.

🔹 Don’t Expect Everyone to Work Like You

A lesson from my career: not everyone works the way I do, and that’s more than okay. Instead of expecting others to match my pace, I meet them where they are. Whether it’s someone from accounts, admin, or another delivery team, understanding their rhythm—rather than imposing mine—turns routine interactions into meaningful collaboration.

🔹 Keep the Human Touch Alive

Relationships at work aren’t built on algorithms or checklists. The small gestures matter: a quick “How’s life?” or “Catch that game last night?” isn’t just small talk—it’s a foundation of trust. Over the years, I’ve learned never to shoot the arrow straightaway. No matter who I’m approaching—a VP, a delivery manager, or a junior colleague—I always start by asking about them first: “How’s your family?” “How have you been?” Only after that do I get to business.

It’s never about hierarchy; it’s about respect. These moments aren’t just polite formalities—they’re genuine check-ins that remind people you see them as more than their job titles. When you truly make that human connection, conversations (and collaboration) flow naturally, no matter how tough the task at hand.

🔹 Call First, Mail Later: My Real Story

A few months ago, I was deep into a project with a razor-thin deadline. Suddenly, we discovered missing files crucial to a site launch—and to complicate things, the key person who managed those files was on leave. Frantic emails began flying, but nothing got resolved.

Instead of sending another escalation email, I called the colleague directly. We talked through the chaos, and—thanks to a bit of empathy and reassurance—I got the content in time for upload. That phone call did more than save a project; it transformed my relationship with someone previously seen as distant. Since then, our collaboration has been effortless. Sometimes, just picking up the phone changes everything.

🔹 Be Like Switzerland, Not a Referee

There are days I’ve had to coordinate between two people (or departments) who clearly didn’t see eye to eye. Their backstory, office politics, or history isn’t for me to solve. Instead, I stay neutral—like Switzerland. My priority: get the work done, minus the drama. It’s not about who “wins” the argument but about achieving the result together.

🔹 Help, Even When It’s Not Your Shift

Coordination doesn’t pause just because I’m on leave. I’ve handled requests after-hours—not for extra credit, but because others have done the same for me. Over the years, I’ve often found myself going out of my way to help colleagues—even those I work with only occasionally, or people from completely different teams.

What I’ve discovered? Most people are good, if you’re good to them first. This simple mantra has shaped my entire approach to corporate life. I don’t pick and choose who gets my help; I believe in showing up for anyone, regardless of title or department. It’s not about what’s written in my JD, but about building goodwill wherever possible.

I see the impact of this during appraisals. Time and again, I receive peer feedback from people I’ve barely worked with directly, simply because I made time for them when they needed it—no strings attached, no discrimination. Maybe that’s why, when it matters most, people remember to vouch for me.

Goodwill in the workplace isn't transactional—it’s what makes people go the extra mile for each other, creating a culture where help is the norm, not the exception.

🔹 Final Thoughts

Trust—not noise—powers real results at work. Great teams aren’t the loudest; they’re the most connected. Workplace connections are built quietly: in quick calls, in “let me see what I can do,” in helping out even when you’re not asked. It’s not about being universally liked—it’s about being trusted. When you have trust, reminders and escalations become obsolete—and deadlines are met faster than you’d imagine.

👋 Have your own strategies for building trust at work? Or have you ever dealt with colleagues who didn’t get along? Drop your experiences in the comments or message me — let’s learn from each other. And if you found this article useful, please share it with someone navigating the same challenges.