Relationships Matter 

September 14, 2017

A few months ago, I spent the day working with a friend on her resume. She had a high-powered position at one of the Fortune 500 companies and had recently negotiated an exit package with her company. When I asked her why she was leaving, she told me that her relationship with the CEO was not good. 

We hear all the time that in business, it’s not personal.  However, what I’ve witnessed over the many decades in the workplace is that it is in fact very personal.  Relationships DO matter.  

Truth is, most of my business consulting contracts have resulted from existing relationships and referrals. For instance, a few years ago, I was hired as a consultant for a major food service company.  During that time, I became a trusted advisor to the president and senior vice president of HR.  And what was supposed to be a three-month communications assignment, resulted in three years.  More importantly, when the president decided to move on to lead another company, he called and asked me if I could continue providing communications support.  That engagement lasted another two years.  During that time, many of the employees were trying to figure out where I came from and how I built such a close relationship with the CEO.  The number one question was, “How do you know him?” They probably thought I was going to cookouts at his personal home. Not!  The truth is, he just wanted to be surrounded by people he trusted and with whom he had built strong relationships.  

In most organizations, there is usually a cool club. These are the individuals who are considered the inner circle of leaders and managers and are generally privy to all of the information before everyone else.  They are the individuals that are asked to stay back after the official meeting ends. They are the trusted advisors tapped for advice on various organizational matters.  

I’ve been on both sides of the fence, and I can tell you that the benefits of being in the inner circle far outweigh being in the outer circle. So how do you begin building those trusted relationships?  Here are a few tips: 

1. Build relationships before you need them. When you proactively build relationships without any pretense, you will have a better opportunity to sustain the relationship as people won’t feel like you are using them. 
2. It’s not who you know; it’s who knows you. The best exposure is when others vouch for you and acknowledge your contributions.   
3. Look for ways to help others.  Being proactive indicates that you are a person that takes the initiative. 
4. Don’t be a complainer.  If you aren’t pleased with something, speak up with quantitative facts and figures.  But don’t be a sheep and complain in the hallway. 

What other ways have you built relationships in your organization?  Let me know by commenting below.

 “The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”

-Tony Robbins