Building Relationships

Tip #1 Appreciate and Respect Others

 

The other person is important. You have little to gain if you choose to deny this. Your relationships with employees and coworkers are not subsidiary to the work you all come together to do; rather, strong relationships are essential to doing that work--especially if you want to do that work well.

 

People are much more than simply what their job description implies. You are able to learn from others' experiences that which you could not from simply the experiences you've had. Begin to foster the possibilities by employing some of the following Human Relations Principles:

• Become genuinely interested in other people
• Smile
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
• Talk in terms of the other person's interests
• Make the other person feel important -- and do it with sincerity

Tip #2 Build Your Human Relations Skills
To build your human relation skills, try to:

• Talk in terms of the other person's interest.
• Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
• Be a good listener.
• Encourage others to talk about themselves.
• Be genuinely interested in others.

Tip #3 Be a Good Listener
Listening skills are an integral part of building relationships in the workplace. Use the following acronym to help you remember how to employ better listening skills:
LADDER 

• Look at the other person.
• Ask questions.
• Don't interrupt.
• Don't change the subject.
• Express emotion with control.
• Respond appropriately.

 

Tip #4 Make a Good First Impression
First impressions are often lasting impressions. Each time a new person meets you, that person takes just ten seconds to form a whole laundry list of impressions, beliefs, or assumptions regarding who you are and what you are about. Follow these tips for imparting a good first impression on others:

• Good posture
• Neat appearance
• Positive non-verbal communication
• Eye contact
• Confident handshake

Energizing Yourself for Change

One of the challenging results of organizational change is that it can leave you feeling fatigued. All of your efforts are focused on new tasks, responsibilities, and relationships. Because of this, you need to look for strategies to maintain and even increase your personal energy during times of change.


Create a Vision

Nothing is more personally motivating than creating a compelling vision. Visualize yourself succeeding as a result of the change. Imagine the benefits of growing as a result of the change -- creating new opportunities, building a more exciting and dynamic future, and opening up new opportunities for success.

List Opportunities

What are the opportunities presented by the change? Make a list of all the ways that you can grow, add new skills, meet influential people, and add valuable experience to your resumes.

Create Networks

It's difficult to create energy in a vacuum. Most people need the stimulation of other individuals and their ideas, input, feedback, and support. Times of change offer an opportunity to add to the network of people who understand you, believe in you, and are willing to help you move forward.

Build Bridges

Organizational change normally involves the establishment of new relationships. Sometimes you resist these new relationships, especially if it involves a new supervisor or a perceived loss of your authority. Instead of retreating from the new relationship, draw energy from it by embracing it and building bridges between yourself and people you encounter. Meeting new people is usually highly energizing because it gives you the opportunity to find commonalities in your values and goals and in the creativity of collaboration