Let’s face it – it’s not just about what you know but who you know. Welcome to the world of politics! Wait a minute – this is a business coaching website so what does politics have to do with this? While I’m very cynical as it relates to the world of politics, achieving results is, without a doubt, enhanced by who you know. It’s also been said that you are only as good as the people that surround you. Whether they work for you, work with you, or you work for them, your success is greatly dependent on how well these people do their jobs under your watch.
But who are these people that we know or are surrounded by? Do we just show up at our workplace with a fancy title and expect things to happen just because that’s what the people surrounding us are paid to do? Are we given a list of people that we should know in times of need? Obviously, the answer to all of these questions is no. To know them means we have to have a relationship with them. Too often, leaders within a company do not have working relationships with those they deal with on a regular basis and, as a result, fail to deal with an issue or engage in a tough conversation with one of their employees.
So now, let me share with you on what I believe are the “keys to the kingdom” to being a successful leader within your organization. Make it one of your top priorities to develop solid working relationships from the second you take over an operation or within the first few hours a new employee joins your team. These relationships are not about being buddy buddy – that’s not what I am talking about. They are about breaking the ice, creating a rapport, making them feel welcome, and creating a fertile ground that will raise the level of trust between you and that person.
Why do we need to do this? We need to do this because quality of life is all about your relationships. Your relationship with your spouse (or partner). Your relationship with your parents. Your relationship with your “faith”. Your relationship with your co-workers, direct reports, or your “boss”. Your relationship with your customers or vendors. I can ramble on and on about all of the relationships we get into over the course of our lives but the fact of the matter is that high quality relationships create a higher quality of life. Higher quality relationships at work create a higher quality of life at work. Higher quality relationships with your customers create a higher level of trust and eventually, more sales.
It’s not easy making higher quality relationships especially at work. It requires you to check your ego at the door, have a servant leadership mentality and a willingness to be vulnerable once in a while. You should never sacrifice your values or shortcut company policies to create a relationship and you should not have to if you are consistent in your approach and your actions. The key is to make it part of your everyday routine to create or improve the quality of the relationships you have.
I can speak to the power of high-quality working relationships as I have been successful throughout my 40+ career in various management roles within the steel industry. Without a doubt, most of this success came from my belief in developing powerful working relationships.
As a coach, I have been given the tools to help my clients overcome the obstacles or fears that may be holding them back from improving the quality of their working relationships. I invite you to take me up on a free 30 minute introductory coaching session offer and to see what may be possible for you.
Wishing all of you powerful and energetic lives!
Kevin Barker – MBA, CPC, ACC, ELI-MP