I want to share one thing that works for me when I have to ride with a senior colleague.
Typically, there is always a niggling feeling that I need to be engaging, interesting and leave a lasting positive impression. Enormous needless pressure.
So I thought of a way to manage such situations and eliminate the accompanying discomfort.
These days, after exchanging pleasantries, I just express myself as honestly as possible. I say something in the lines of “There will be periods during this trip that I will have nothing to say and have a strong feeling that I need to say something to continue conversation, is it okay if I just keep quiet in those times?”
Usually, the answer is positive and it frees me up to be myself.
Try it or try something that is more authentic to you. It is not okay to become something else, in order to be with someone else.
– Osasu Oviawe