I have a hard time working from home. My self-diagnosed ADD or ADHD means I need human interaction – a room full of people, background conversation, and friendly faces and conversations.
If you’ve ever met me, you probably know that I have absolutely no qualms about going to a bar or coffee shop by myself and striking up conversations. I’ve met lifelong friends, groomsmen in my wedding, and fantasy football groups just by saying hello.
It’s one of the simplest and most enjoyable parts of my day-to-day life. It’s also a small but important part of the work we encourage for our clients at K2. I remember working with a now-former client who dreaded this part of their job. They wanted to build themselves as a thought leader, to get on TV and become a trusted source for news networks across the spectrum. But they were afraid and didn’t see the value of meeting with reporters on Capitol Hill, meeting TV producers in their office, and building relationships.
At K2, we encouraged them to simply say hello. Remember that these are people too. Grab coffee, stop by their office, and learn what they are working on. Just get to know people. Over time, it got easier and became an important part of their transformation. Reporters started to come to them for their thoughts, and TV hosts were begging to have them on their shows.
It all started with hello.
Don’t just take it from me. It’s also scientific; studies show that talking to strangers, waving at the bartender or barista you see more than a few times a week, or smiling at the neighbor you’ve never talked to can boost your spirits. So next time you’re drinking cheap whiskey on a Wednesday, ubering to the airport, or just living your life – say hello.
-Noah Evans, Communications Director