I Can Relate!

I was reading a recent edition of Ignite, a leadership newsletter from leadership expert Ken Blanchard and I found myself stuck after seeing the following: "In many ways, the workplace has become the primary community for people. Creating a fulfilling sense of community at work by improving relationships results in a more enjoyable and satisfying experience, which leads to improved and sustained performance." Traditionally, I have felt that work and my personal life are completely separate. I tend to think that when I come to work, I come in to work and what I have going on personally stays outside of work. This couldn't be further from the truth based on the fact that many of my waking hours are spent in the workforce! Let's talk numbers: there are 24 hours in a day; 1/3 (8hours) of that time is the equivalent of a workday; there are 52 weeks in a year, so working 40 hrs/wk equates to 2080 hours each year; and there are 8,760 hours in a year. Therefore, we spend a great deal of our waking hours in the workplace, working with others to accomplish various tasks and goals. Since the workplace is a community for people, the relationships that are built within that community impact individuals as well as their performance. What do your relationships at work say about you??

Believe it or not, the relationships that you have with others will allow people to formulate opinions of you. You are either seen as a "people person" or someone who is an introvert. You are viewed as someone who excels within their role or as someone who does not. You are someone who is considered positive (improves morale) or someone who is seen as negative (diminishes morale). Knowing this means that you have to make a conscious effort to be aware of who you are, what you say, what you do, and who you build strategic relationships with. In other words, not only should you invest in building relationships, you should also maintain a sense of awareness. Here are some tips for effective relationship building in the workplace:

1. Foster trust: In order to build trust, you have to be honest, authentic, and transparent. This means that you are free to express who you are professionally without minimizing others.

2. Communicate well: Being able to communicate involves both speaking and listening. Sometimes it is absolutely necessary to listen more than we speak in order to strengthen a relationship. Avoiding sarcasm and communicating around the business allows your partner(s) to respect both you as an individual as well as your opinions.

3. Accountability: Finding fault in others is easy to do in comparison to finding fault in ourselves. Being 100% responsible for your own actions will strengthen your relationships and it also defines your level of integrity. Owning what you say and do eliminates blame shifting on your part.

4. Have compassion: The ability to understand others without judgment fosters trust, introduces support, and creates a strong foundation, which is needed for any relationship.

5. Manage conflict: This means that some battles you need not fight. As you assess what it is you are trying to accomplish, you get to decide what and who you give energy to. Sometimes it is better to remain focused on the desired outcome to determine whether or not you need to be involved in conflict.

I totally agree with this statement: "Creating a fulfilling sense of community at work by improving relationships results in a more enjoyable and satisfying experience, which leads to improved and sustained performance." The relationships that you build at work will be rewarding, enjoyable, and satisfying if you go about them the right way. The long term benefits will not only be improved; sustained performance, but will also include partnerships where others are advocating on your behalf. It doesn't matter how successful you become, you will always need others to accomplish your goals. Learning how to relate to others should be practiced daily until it becomes a lifestyle.