#MTtalk: Your Highlights and Lessons from 2017

"A day without learning is like a day without breathing." – Robin Sharma

As we approach the end of December, you may start to focus on the new year ahead. You're thinking about your goals, and how you're going to make the next 12 months better. But it's always useful to consider the things you learned in the year that's about to end, too, and to think of them with gratitude.

So, we asked a few of our regular #MTtalk participants, as well as the Mind Tools team, what some of the #MTtalk highlights were for them in 2017.

What We Learned in 2017

Jim, from the U.S. (@JKatzaman), selected a tweet by @SayItForwardNow, from our chat about self-worth and thought awareness: "Our thoughts shape every aspect of our life. Being aware of our thoughts, and their positivity or negativity, is critical."

Manav, @manavlalotra, from India, selected @MicheleDD_MT’s tweet from our "Connecting At Work" chat. Michele tweeted a picture that said, "Just because you're right doesn't mean I'm wrong." She added, "When connection is absent, misunderstandings & conflict may occur. People distrust each other."

Zala, or @ZalkaB, chose a tweet by @MaryEllenGrom, from our chat "The Art of Asking Good Questions": "We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Often, intentional, proactive listening is more powerful than talking."

Terry, or @BrainBlenderTec, who’s famous on the chats for his tweets about dancing through life, chose a question, rather than a response, from our recent "Minorities Matter" chat. "What behaviors are necessary to have bold, inclusive conversations in the workplace?" He felt that this question provided great food for thought.

Planning Your Goals

Loren, @LorenMargolis, chose a tweet from our chat about servant leadership. It read, "Leaders who are effective at motivating their team members collaborate with them to plan their own SMART goals. And use a reward and recognition program when they achieve. Also, they give feedback along the way."

Sonia, or @harrisonia, has been a participant since our first #MTtalk chat. She chose one of Loren's tweets from "Minorities Matter," which said: "Leaders are visible and set a spoken and unspoken example. As leaders, we have a responsibility in the workplace to set inclusive policies, model the celebration of differences. Also, to be clear about expectations, what’s illegal and not acceptable in company culture."

Gayathiri, or @tweetgayusri, said that "The Art of Letting Go" was her favorite chat. She chose this tweet from @JKatzaman as one that spoke volumes: "Letting go puts the past truly in the past. Look forward and up. Then move on."

Michele, from our team (@MicheleDD_MT), selected a tweet from the same chat. We asked the question, "Why is it so difficult for us to let go of something?" @WonderPix‪ replied, "Letting go loosens our grip, reminds us we can't control everything, even if we want to."

Daring to Be Vulnerable

Midgie (@Midgie_MT), also from the Mind Tools team, chose a tweet from our "Daring to Be Vulnerable" chat as one of her favorites. It came from @maat333: "Showing vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but of awareness and honesty (trust/maturity) and it can build stronger relationships."

It's really difficult to choose one among all the powerful thoughts we shared, but this tweet by @ShereesePubHlth, in the chat about disrupting the hierarchy, was one of my standouts of 2017: "I always teach, 'Take 5'. Take 5 minutes to comprehend, 5 to reflect, and 5 to respond. Be mindful in your reactions." Great advice!

Thoughts of Gratitude

Some of our participants simply chose to share their experiences.

Piyush, from India (@PG_pmp), is a devoted #MTtalker, despite the time difference meaning that he always takes part late at night. He shared the following: "I started answering and participating the #MTtalk chat a while ago. Session topics were one of best sessions among other in similar domain. Moderators are great and able to engage the participants, which motivates every participant. Sessions were relevant to practical workplace scenarios. I also appreciate regular scenario based chats every two weeks."

Josephine, or @70mq, said she really enjoyed all the #MTtalk chats. She added, "It is always an excellent learning experience and a great way to meet new people. Thank you."

@maat333, another regular participant, shared his thoughts, too: "Thank you very much for everything. We really have to thank what people like you do, because you enhance the value of these social platforms. I know that many times I am very direct and very pragmatic, but I believe that honesty and objectivity are intrinsic elements of integrity. I only have to thank you and your team again."

Learning from all our participants is an enriching experience. It also shows us that while we may think our problems are unique, many of us experience the same issues and challenges in workplaces all over the world.

The beauty of this chat is that we all help and learn from one another to improve our households, our workplaces and ourselves. Here's a big thanks to all of you and a hearty "Cheers!" to a wonderful year of learning! Thanks for 2017, and see you in 2018!

Next time, on #MTtalk…

We want to make sure that we all start 2018 on the right note: recharged, energized and ready for the new year. In our next #MTtalk, on Friday, January 5, 2018, our topic is "Recharge, Energize and Fill Your Bucket." We'll share more about this topic in a blog post on January 2.

To participate in our chat about recharging and energizing yourself, please join us at 1 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. GMT / 8 p.m. CAT / 11:30 p.m. IST, and type #MTtalk in the Twitter search function. Then, click on "All Tweets" and you'll be able to follow the live chat feed. To join the conversation, simply include #MTtalk in your tweet and it will show up in the chat feed.

Resources

In the meantime, why not take a few minutes to revisit some of your favorite resources from 2017:

Avoiding Unconscious Bias at Work
5 Whys
How to Be Tactful
Random Acts of Kindness
Humility
The Wheel of Life

Mind Tools Club members can also access the full versions of the following articles:

Perfectionism
How to Manage Defensive People
Coaching With Feedback
Working in a Highly Political Organization
Egos at Work
Creating a Healthy Workplace
Authentic Leadership