Yet, relationships often aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when people think about business. But they should be.
Relationships are at the basis of our business success—positive relationships translate into new business, new clients, engaged customers, supportive providers, and better negotiations. The list goes on and on.
As our work worlds evolve into an era ever more focused on digital communication and connection, the ability to continue building meaningful, professional relationships has become more important than ever. How can you cut through the digital noise? What makes a business contact memorable? What makes someone think of your business and want to reach out?
We talk a lot about networking in business, in fact, 80% of professionals consider professional networking important to career success according to a global study by LinkedIn, but what about nurturing those relationships after the fact?
What happens after that networking event when it’s all too easy to lose touch with those new connections you just made—connections that when strengthened effectively, can yield more opportunities for both professionals and the businesses they’re employed by?
It’s a fantastic feeling when you find your “person” at work, but what does this mean in a professional context?
As expected, a working relationship is different than that of your friendships when you’re out of the office. In a workspace, the needs, expectations, and foundation of friendships are different as you and your colleagues work together to meet company goals. With this in mind, there’s a whole host of factors that come into play when considering what makes for a good professional relationship.
Here are some key pillars of our professional relationship definition:
- Respect: colleagues that respect one another work in unison to take each other’s opinions into account, working together to find solutions to meet company goals.
- Communication: effective communication is essential to a good working relationship as colleagues communicate over diverse platforms - from in-person meetings to quick messages and emails - to connect and understand one another’s work-related asks.
- Trust: it’s important in any relationship to feel like you can be open and honest, and this only happens with trust!
Improving how you communicate with colleagues, clients, and superiors can have a huge impact on your success in business.
This could be in the way an email is written, how you present yourself in meetings, how you speak to others, or how effectively you’re able to lead team projects.
Learning about communication tactics and being able to recognize your own tenancies can be extremely beneficial in building relationships. It enables us to better understand how we come across from the other person’s point of view—something every good communicator navigates.
There are many communicative success seminars on LinkedIn, books on how to be a better professional, and podcasts to help you grow in these areas in professional and personal settings.
Before even building relationships with your colleagues, you must first understand yourself and your needs. What do you need from your colleagues? Additionally, think about your behaviors and motivations to better understand your preferences and, simultaneously, what you can provide to coworkers.
With work relationships, work still comes first. With this in mind, creating boundaries in advance, so you don’t spend too much time off-task is a must. Additionally, creating clear lines to maintain professionalism will help ensure these work relationships remain focused on your career.
Asking questions and actively listening will allow you to learn more about your coworkers and are also an important part of building relationships. When you ask questions about your coworker's personal life, professional goals or daily needs, you are interested in them. Give them the opportunity to share details about their life before sharing your own. Also, by asking questions and encouraging open communication, your coworkers will come to associate you with being a good communicator. They are more likely to come to you with concerns, celebrations or when they need someone to listen.
Asking for assistance can also initiate a workplace relationship. By asking coworkers to join in on projects or work tasks, you have more opportunities to get to know them. Also, remember that you are more likely to receive the assistance you need when you previously offered the same help to others. Relationships involve both give and take; you can demonstrate this by asking for and offering assistance.
With the many responsibilities and requirements of the workday, it can often feel like the day flies by. It might feel more productive to multitask throughout the day, answering emails during a team meeting or working on your report during lunch. However, these tasks prevent you from being present. By paying attention to those around you, beginning communication and getting to know your coworkers, you will find that you can build workplace relationships with minimal effort.
Good working relationships will make your job more enjoyable. What's more, close-knit teams are more productive, which frees up time to innovate and focus on your personal development. The professional connections you make will also help you to further your career.
You should build good relationships with all your co-workers. But focus on your manager to stay engaged with your job, the team members you work with day-to-day, and any stakeholders impacted by your work.
A professional work relationship is built on trust. Team members should also respect one another, and be inclusive in considering different opinions. Self-awareness and open communication are key to making this work.
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