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Key Behaviors that determine a valuable team member, according to experts

Key Behaviors that determine a valuable team member, according to experts

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 19, 2021

  • 1:06 pm

  • 0 comments

When the phrase “valuable team member” is said, we automatically think of someone with a cocktail mix of traits that range depending on their industry. For people in marketing, it’s the most innovative, smooth talking person who’s quick on their feet. For those in tech, it’s the most efficient, highly astute team leads that seem to get the work done. For the sciences, it’s the person with most knowledge and skill, with a propensity for mentoring.

Unquestionably so, the value of a team member differs with their work culture. However, they all share common traits that can be utilized by anyone willing to rise the ranks. The subject of what makes a stellar person to work with has been a topic of many articles of research.

CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner chimed in the discussion by sharing a Venn diagram of the best people he would love to work with. He stated that he loved people who:

Dream Big

Get things done efficiently

Know how to have fun.

This is remarkably like Rocket Station’s core values of doing the right thing, exceeding expectations and having fun while at it.

Weiner continues to discuss the kind of person he would love to work with.

He envisioned a person who dreamed big on a scale that was highly inspirational but within reason, coupled with the ability to make it happen and produce work that is exceptional and cultivate curiosity and wonderment while at it.

At first one would think that it is simply an opinion; but is it really?

A study held in 2019 and published in the International Association of Applied Psychology examined the personality traits and moral values that contribute to the well-being, resilience and job performance of an individual.

They have discovered that a variety of traits offer a higher possibility of achieving higher job performance and over all better productivity at work. They have developed the following findings:

Positive work experiences play a pivotal role in promoting resilience for individuals in the workplace.

Resilience is associated with job satisfaction via job performance.

Extraversion is associated with emotional well-being.

Well-being is directly proportional to job performance.

Universalism and benevolence play a positive role.

In a nutshell, they concluded that people who are more resilient and show signs affiliated with extraversion are more likely to have better job performance and become better teammates. This is not to blanket state that extroverts are all better than introverts. The findings in this study suggest the qualities associated with extraversion, which is being warm, gregarious, assertive and exhibit positive emotions are more likely to have productive work outcomes. These traits also make people more capable of caring for others.

In this study, they focused more on one trait and that was: RESILIENCE. They say the better people are not just people who are positive and assertive, they are people who know how to pivot when things do not go according to plan and remain steadfast even during times of difficulty.

At Rocket Station, we place value in developing our people and helping them in becoming better versions of themselves. Subscribe to have unlimited access to all blogs and articles published in our Rocket Station Community.

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The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 3, 2021

  • 5:23 pm

  • 0 comments

Technical know-how has become an important facet for almost every modern day professional. Today we see many young men and women not only acquiring technical knowledge, but also different skill sets that make them more effective in different work functions. 

There have been more emerging jobs thanks to technological advancement. We now have individuals with skills that were once considered new to now being in-demand. So much so, that there is an influx of highly specialized and well-seasoned professionals today. 

With so many well assimilated people, one begs to ask, what would set them apart? The competition is steep, for every master’s degree there are two—neigh, three specialized courses that guarantee that this candidate would be a better fit than the next highly qualified individual to walk through the recruiter’s office. 

Surprisingly, according to LinkedIn, there are 5 traits that pose the biggest skill gaps across the board. That despite the rising numbers of technically skilled and adept people, the skills that are most lacking—and you guessed it, are soft skills. Arguably, soft skills are the most difficult to master because it takes years of development and consistency on the part of the team leader and team member.

Having that in mind, acquiring these skills can set you apart and make you one of the top choices for a job, or a promotion. These five invaluable soft skills that can make a huge difference:

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Critical Thinking and problem solving is not just developing a formula to a problem. It is looking at a problem and finding ways to solve it in a way that is creative, effective, and ergonomic for the company. 

ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Is a skill that is developed through life and can be taught with constant practice. It is simply learning how to pivot and pivot effectively. Adapt smartly, and be flexible in a way that turns setbacks into opportunities, and transforms sudden turnovers into a goal that could potentially be better than the one initially set.

COMMUNICATION

It may come as a surprise, but despite communication being one of the cornerstones of effective teamwork and leadership, a lot of people lack in communicating clearly. Clarity, proper wording and pacing of the conversations to get your message across the first time proves to be an invaluable asset in any industry. 

LEADERSHIP

There are plenty of ways one can be an effective leader. For instance, being an effective leader means possessing the ability to solidify a team of individuals with different skill sets and finding ways to develop them. Another can be making things happen and having people move in ways that will reach an intended goal. Whatever the methods or philosophy it takes to be an effective leader, it may vary per company culture. Therefore, leadership has one of the largest skill gaps. It is not enough that you know how to lead, the real question is, is the way you lead effective for your team?

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

There is an interesting course that delves in Design Engineering. It is a mix of innovation, creativity and problem solving. In a way it is like describing what’s needed in this skill gap. Creativity isn’t just creating art, it is the process of assimilating problems, solutions and crafting new things in ways that make the process easier and more ergonomic.

Develop yourself with these soft skills and find yourself as one of the indispensable people in a sea of highly qualified individuals. This month, Rocket Station places value in ways we can improve ourselves to be better. Join our newsletter to discover more articles such as this in developing yourself this month. 

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All Careers Health and Wellness

Why developing work friendships is good for your productivity

Why developing work friendships is good for your productivity

  • rs_ph_website

  • February 28, 2021

  • 5:53 pm

  • 0 comments

Since time in memorial, it was widely believed that developing close friendships at work were more detrimental than productive. People always advised against getting into business with a friend as it could “ruin” the relationship. They would say that getting into business with a friend is bad for business, and to some extent, for friends turned business partners it has been challenging indeed. However, it was studied that friendships that start as business contacts and develop into a close friendship are less nuanced and more beneficial.

A study done in the University of Seoul in South Korea back in 2006 stated that the positive potential for both individuals and the organization of having friendships at work may override the negative aspects. Workplace friendship is mainly categorized as boss and subordinate relationships. It was suggested that workplace friendships develop positive workplace attitudes with more emphasis on the quality of the friendship versus the opportunity behind it. The study emphasized the importance of workplace friendship to increase the positive work attitudes and performance of team members.

These cornerstone research initiatives paved the way to a more inclusive and less boxed-in view of the leader-follower dynamic.

Enter the year 2021, where these theories are put into practice and we see more vibrant and engaged companies like Rocket Station popping up. LinkedIn has chimed in with publishing multiple workplace articles pushing the need, not want, but the need of having a close friend at work if you desire to be productive. They ran a study that suggested that having a work BFF improves a team member’s overall happiness. People who feel less connected to their colleagues tend to feel less productive.

Here is how you can start developing closer relationships with the people you want to be friends with at work based on LinkedIn’s Relationships @Work study:

SHOW GENUINE INTEREST IN THEIR LIVES.

Be engaged—sincerely engaged about the things they care about outside of work. Take time to listen actively and show interest in what they share. An insider tip to achieve this is to maintain eye contact, put down your phone and do affirmative nods while absorbing the details they share with you. Most of the time, people respond to great listeners with more trust than great talkers.

BE MINDFUL OF THEIR SCHEDULE

In LinkedIn’s study, it shows that teammates get very rattled when unprecedented actions and tasks are done to disrupt their work schedule. They’ll more likely see you as a nuisance to their productivity versus someone who will actually aid them at work. Find ways to be mindful of their schedule by sending over a message to ask if they are free first and try to find ways to connect with each other at your shared down time.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

This comes as a no-brainer, but believe it or not, some people are indifferent to giving thanks and appreciation to others not because they do not want to, but because they don’t know how to. So, practice by seeing little positive things that they do and start saying thank you for these things. Give them praise for a job well done and be thankful for their contributions no matter how small by verbalizing it.

BOND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE

Find time to bond in an environment that isn’t at the office. You can bond with each other by messaging or just doing quick video calls if meeting outside the office for coffee or doing errands together is too much of a stretch for now. The goal is to see your teammate in the lens of normalcy. You get to know them outside of work and see that deep down inside, they are just like you, someone trying to earn a living and finding a place to belong too.

This February, Rocket Station places emphasis on the relationships that build us and make us the people we are today. If you like the articles you have read so far, feel free to sign up in our newsletter to receive updates on more articles like this.

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All Health and Wellness

The Challenge: Managing love and work while at home

The Challenge: Managing love and work while at home

  • rs_ph_website

  • February 15, 2021

  • 5:00 pm

  • 0 comments

Haven’t we all been there? When work gets intertwined within the same space as romantic relationships it becomes very challenging. While working from home has a lot of perks–we don’t have to deal with the daily traffic or pollution, we stay away from office politics, we stress less over meetings with difficult clients, we develop a sense of autonomy and comfort.

No matter how we’ve adjusted to it, working from home has become the new normal.

This becomes quite the challenge when the home you are supposed to share with your significant other suddenly becomes a workspace. The dynamics shift entirely. Changes in your roles as partners become apparent. The shifting of house chores to accommodate one’s working schedule can cause a lot of tension and there now is an occasional lack of mental presence in the relationship which was not there prior to working from home.

Working from home with your significant other places in pressures that are new, specific, and unique. So, we’re here to give you sustainable and practical advice on how you can best manage this challenge.

Set Intentional Time Together. Nothing is more important than scheduling a “we” time apart from your “me” time to help nourish the relationship. This means being 100% present. Turn off your laptops, put down your phones, play whatever playlist that evokes nostalgia and just spend complete uninterrupted time together without mentioning the topic of work. According to the Gottman Institute, couples who set intentional time to connect are happier, have their needs met and are more content versus couples who don’t.

Do small gestures of love often. In this day and age, if it’s not grand, it’s not worth talking about. Relationship experts digress by saying that it isn’t the grand gestures that makes people fall deeply in love with someone. It’s the small consistent gestures of love that lead up to that grand gesture that makes it all the more meaningful. Examples of small gestures can be offered by doing the dishes even if you’re not assigned on that day. It could be cooking their favorite breakfast food just the way they like it. It can also be just taking time to tell them how much you appreciate them. These little things matter.

Have a dedicated workspace. If possible, get a room. It is crucial to set your mind in work-mode at a specific nook in your home. This helps you affiliate work with only that specific area. This strategy programs your mind to leave work in that dedicated room or workspace, focusing more on your significant other when you step out of the room, literally.

Take equal responsibility for house tasks. One of the main reasons why couples argue is because there is an imbalance in the splitting of house chores. Letting go of your responsibilities and having your partner do it all “because you have work” is a recipe for disaster. The goal isn’t to exhaust yourself with chores and

work, the goal is to show up in other ways and carry the load. A good example is if you can’t walk the dog anymore on weekdays offer to do so on weekends. If you can’t cook dinner anymore try to order take out. If you must work undisturbed and can’t really offer a helping hand, wake up early the next day and prepare for them their coffee just the way they like it.

Fight fair. Fighting fair is a skill. It’s a muscle that requires practice to grow. Like almost every relationship that has been, experiencing conflicts is inevitable. The importance is how you manage the conflict. Fighting fair is learning not to be defensive. Fighting fair is not showing contempt or casting blame. Fighting fair is being able to listen when it matters and withdraw when the emotions become too much to bear. Fighting fair acknowledges the unmet needs and tries to find ways to best meet them.

Express Admiration and Appreciation. Research supports that gratitude practiced in intimate relationships increases relationship connection and action the day after it is expressed, both for the giver and receiver. Gratitude is mutually beneficial. You can put gratitude into your routine by either writing an appreciation letter, providing daily expressions on gratitude or having a dinnertime gratitude practice.

At the end of the day, sharing work and managing intimate relationships while at home can be challenging but it is not impossible to manage. This February, Rocket Station put focus on the relationships that surround us and how we can make them better. If these tips work for you feel free to sign up in our newsletter to keep up with more interesting articles.

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Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

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All Health and Wellness

6 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Season while Flying Solo

6 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Season while Flying Solo

  • Rocket Station

  • February 8, 2021

  • 1:45 pm

  • 0 comments

Ah, to be single or simply on your own during Valentines can be woeful for some, for others, it is a day to celebrate singlehood and catch up with all those romcoms airing during the month of hearts. We believe that there is no such thing as love without self-love. No matter your relationship status, or if you are simply alone this season due to the pandemic, we have interesting activities you can use to develop you and your relationships. 

For ladies, have Virtual Galentines Movie Nights

Kick off the month of hearts scheduling movie nights with your girls while at home. You can have Watch Together events on Netflix and different online platforms. The ladies you celebrate Galentines movie nights with do not have to be single, they can be ladies in an LDR relationship or other women who just want to catch up with old friends. I suggest whipping up some wine and bubbly while you’re at it to keep the spirit of Galentines alive!

Plan a Workout Regimen

Alone on Valentines? No problem! Keep the month of hearts filled with endorphins to boost positivity the entire season. Have a work-out schedule that works for you and do this with an activity that you like. Is it full-body Pilates? Do you like indoor cycling? Or maybe some hardcore home work-outs to buff up your physique? The possibilities are endless. Researchers state that there are plenty of hormones the brain releases when it comes to love, and endorphins is one of them! Endorphins are the “happy hormones” responsible for lifting one’s mood and eliminating stress. Get those dumb bells, booty bands and sneakers ready!

Journal or do Crafts with Interesting Prompts 

Invest in your alone time by writing down your thoughts on paper with interesting journal prompts or by boosting your creativity by crafting something new. Studies show that journaling about what you are grateful for and keeping a diary about your day can help release anxieties and lessen stress. Creativity also boosts the mind’s ability to remain focused at a certain task at hand, it also aids you in developing your perspective of design and beauty. For the season of hearts, remember that you are safe in the pages of your journals and sketchbooks. 

Plan Game Night

Game night can be enjoyed alone, or with the company of friends. For people who love to play console games, flying solo with pizza and a drink of choice would be the perfect way to cap off Valentines. For others, a little co-op wouldn’t hurt. If you aren’t a gamer yourself, trusty, old-fashioned card games usually do the trick. Have a Zoom call with your friends and have an online poker game. If you’re not feeling too competitive, some ice breaker card decks can be utilized to build rapport with your friends. 

Virtual Cook Off or Bake Off

Valentines is about all the sweetness love can bring; so why not share that in baking your own sweets and sending it over as a blind taste test among friends? Best cookie/chocolate truffle/cake wins! This can also be applied to cooking dishes. Have everyone cook their best dish that reminds them of romance and send it over to friends. The winner will be decided by blind taste test! 

Send Love Letters to Loved Ones 

While all the above-mentioned activities may seem fun, nothing can replace the old-fashioned way of expressing love and affection other than letters written in long-hand to loved ones. When you write to people and tell them how much you love them, how much you appreciate them, and how grateful you are for them, research says your relationship with this person improves. It improves regardless of who gives or receives the gesture. It’s a win-win, mutually beneficial endeavor. Pick up that pen and start writing away if you want to improve or build a relationship with someone. 

This February, Rocket Station places emphasis on the relationships that build us. Be it with our significant others, our families, our work mates, or ourselves; we pay tribute to the connections that make us who we are. For more interesting tidbits and articles, feel free to sign up in our newsletter.  

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While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

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Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

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POST A COMMENT

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All Careers Leadership

Filling the Void: Leading with Empathy while working from home

Filling the Void: Leading with Empathy while working from home

  • Rocket Station

  • February 1, 2021

  • 5:49 pm

  • 0 comments

When in elementary school, I remembered having favorite teachers, and they were all different in their own way. Back then, I couldn’t find common ground as to why I liked them so much in spite of their differences. One favorite teacher had a particularly good knack of making everything fun and exciting. Another favorite was so detailed and knowledgeable in her subject you could almost see the information radiating from her mind.

My most favorite teacher was an old man who patiently taught us TLE classes and would never tire of answering our questions; even the nonsensical ones. No matter how different they were, there was something about them collectively that had me wanting to connect with them more as a child.

Is there a secret sauce to leading? Is there a way to let people migrate at your influence? As I grew older and worked with different mentors, slowly discovered the singular factor that made them all respected, loved, and productive educators: EMPATHY.

I remembered that despite their differences, they commonly shared an innate sense of compassion and willingness to understand the plights of their students. They did this in their own unique way, and for some reason, the students responded in large numbers. Now, imagine the impact this would have on adults in a workplace set up.

What is Empathy, really?

Empathy is the unique ability to utterly understand the situations and life stories of others as if you were to live it yourself. Empathy is the act of being so emotionally aware; you can feel emotional energies emanating from people and how it affects their behavior and their perception. It is, more succinctly, being able to understand the needs of others. Empathy is a powerful trait that helps you see perspectives that are different from your own and therefore, as a leader, enables you to make more holistic decisions.

Why is Empathy Important at Work?

Having an environment that pushes empathy allows people to feel that they are in an environment that is safe and open for positive feedback. It helps peoplen respond better to constructive criticism, and encourages collaboration. Empathy allows us freedom to make mistakes because we know we will not be unreasonably blamed for them. It encourages an atmosphere of acceptance and shared humanity. Most importantly, empathy, when used with leadership, can act as a conduit for motivation and efficient needs assessment.

Leadership and Empathy

The importance of empathic leadership cannot be overstated enough, especially nowadays where people are all isolated and many are working from home. Having a leader that acts as an overall head giving the most direct and clear orders is not enough to develop positive team culture. One needs to really connect and build relationships with their team in a way that is authentic. Leading with empathy boosts overall team satisfaction by virtue of motivating people based on needs that must be met. Empathic leaders become catalysts for change. They are aware of the needs of their team. They are usually the firstm people to know if there is something wrong with one of their team members. They can explore and respond to the problems team members face in a way that is proactive, thus finding more solutions. Being an empathic leader also garners respect and admiration from those they lead.

How does one become more empathic?

One of the key traits of expressing empathy is learning how to listen actively. earn to understand the perceptions and thought processes of others by truly being interested in them and what their needs are at work, without bias. Be vigilant about your goal in expressing empathy. Take moments to step back, reassess yourself and understand whether you are truly listening, absorbing, and understanding the person you are conversing with. Learning how to understand people at a deeper level takes time and practice. The more you practice, the more natural you become at it.

In a nutshell

Empathy in the workplace as in life is one of the fundamental tools people need to connect. This February, Rocket Station focuses on the topic of building and nurturing relationships. How else better to contribute to this topic other than leading with empathy? If you like our articles and want to read more, feel free to subscribe and get the freshest insights from our blog.

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5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself
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How to Lead Towards Growth
While all individuals have their dreams and paths to take, there are a few common truths no matter the intended result. One of these is that leadership is important. It is many things. Leadership is a concept, an action, a goal, and of course; it is a requirement to achieve success whether you wish to be a business leader or a simple community volunteer.

Reaching Better Success By Finding The Right Values
Success, accomplishments, and consequent rewards are things every person and company strives for. However, it is easy to observe that not everyone manages to reach these goals. In the same way, not everyone who gets these goals are equally happy about the results. Why is this though? There are countless possible reasons, but a fundamental idea that is quickly forgotten and dismissed is having the correct values.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Categories
All Careers Health and Wellness Leadership

5 ways to bond with your remote team

5 ways to bond with your remote team

  • Rocket Station

  • February 1, 2021

  • 3:09 pm

  • 0 comments

Who knew that years into the future we would face a life-threatening pandemic? Suddenly, everything we know changed drastically, and yes; this includes the way we work too. The threat of the COVID-19 virus has almost every company investing in a work from home set-up. While many have spear -headed the movement by applying virtual workspaces, developing remote work tasks, and setting up online meeting protocols; it still does not change the fact that bonding with team members has taken a distant turn.

A study released in 2007 states that while working from home can increase a sense of autonomy and boost overall work performance, its main challenge is bringing the team closer to work on overall tasks together. The detachment ram real life work culture can cause individuals to feel excluded, feel like there is favoritism, or in extreme cases, that their colleagues are conspiring to work against their intended goal. Developing this can cause festering of negative emotions and loss of teamwork, the presence of which is crucial in meeting deadlines and in achieving overall project success.

To prevent this from happening, Rocket Station believes it is important to develop regular team building activities. Monthly team building efforts are necessary in establishing a positive team culture. The importance in building a cohesively integrated network in the team is vital for overall team satisfaction. It aids in alleviating the negative interpersonal effects and intends to fully develop relationships that are profound and meaningful.

So how do we keep things lively and unique while building substantial relationships within the team on a monthly basis? Team managers are more likely to scratch their heads thinking of ways to keep the team engaged versus getting them together. In the age of the internet and hyperstimulation, the online environment becomes exceedingly difficult to work up for over -worked adults. Luckily for you, we have listed the five more exciting activities you can use to amplify your religious team bonding in a way that is not just motivating but also meaningful.

1

Provide an environment to share similar interests.

Creating a channel separate from work, where team members can just share what they are reading, watching, or debating about can make people feel a sense of oneness. Focusing on where we are similar versus where we are different makes people believe that they are in an environment where they can freely share what they like. Some companies have introduced Slack as one of their main platforms in establishing remote work culture. Other companies turn to Facebook and other social media platforms to develop this necessary area of team bonding.

2

Have the team discuss a shared topic.

An interesting activity would be asking team members to watch a movie, start reading a book, an article, watch a documentary or a TED talk and have them discuss freely during team building meetings what they think. This establishes closeness by hearing what other people have to say outside of issues involving work.

3

Prepare Ice Breaker Questions and use Question Card Decks.

You can also generate a question for the day that entices thought provoking answers or just a simple icebreaker question such as: “Are you a coffee or tea kind of person? If neither, why not?”. This provides an opportunity for people who want to connect but do not know how to connect, start conversations. We encourage the use of question decks that stimulate conversations. These decks are more often created to start conversations and develop relationships. Once the team members get into the flow of the card game, the rest of the conversations are up to them. Being able to share and gather knowledge about teammates not only humanizes them it also helps us see where we all are alike.

4

Do online co-op games of any nature.

Try working as a team in achieving an intended goal in online games. Someteams can choose to play in sports games or a team bingo game where prizes can be split among the winning group. This builds the value of trust and reliance in your team without placing the element of work. How can we best apply this? Set a “play time”, whether during break time or during team building activities and make sure to have everyone’s investment in the game. When the game is done don’t stop there! Discuss this in team chatting channels and plot your next big goal.

5

Have a shared meal online.

Ah, this can be one of the most accessible and easiest things you can do to bolster a psychological sense of oneness. Remotely, this is doable by ordering the same take-out meal the team will agree upon and have everyone eat this during the set team building. Studies have shown that having people eat the same meal can make this group feel closer. It is mainly subconscious and psychological. Shankar Vedantam, a social scientist, chimes in during a podcast, and says that the more people eat the same kind of food the more it increases agreeability of the relationship. Food can shape trust and cooperation, especially if you eat the same kind of dish. The commonality in all these strategies is seeking human connection and the similarities we all share. While working from home may pose as a beneficial set-up today, it does not discount the challenges. This February, Rocket Station sees the value in every relationship that is built. We seek to be part of a community that seeks to capitalize on human connection and the enhancement of lives. The online community platform is an amazing tool where like minded people can break bread together, talk about things that matter and engage in meaningful conversations.

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