When working with new people, taking the time up front to have clear and open conversations about each other's work styles and preferences can be one of the best investments of your time. These “style-adjustment” conversations can help lay a foundation of trust and understanding and establish agreement on how to work together successfully. But many people shy away from having these conversations for two reasons. First, I worry that it will take too much time. Second, they fear that style differences may become more evident and they are unsure how to bridge them. Something powerful happens when you have open, deep conversations about your style and preferences. If you better understand where someone is coming from, you're less likely to react to their behavior and feel annoyed by making potentially incorrect assumptions about why someone is acting a certain way. Instead, you can bring more compassion into your work relationships, act less reactive, and even prevent workplace conflict.