Another skill they don’t necessarily teach you in school is building relationships. While your job may provide some basic training to ensure you get the job done, there are some skills that only you can learn from experience and time.
One of these skills is building relationships at work. Whether it’s connecting with a customer, client, co-worker, or your boss, here are some keys you need to master to build a lasting relationship.”
1. Time
Time is a limited resource that should be used wisely. If you want to build lasting relationships, you need to invest in time, specifically in these three areas:
- Getting to know the person.
- Giving the appropriate energy and effort to make a sale or finish a project.
- Having time to keep at it.
Once you’ve invested some time with these people, remember to gather the essential data you had and use it to foster solutions.
2. New skills
It’s great to master one skill, but getting a few more certainly won’t hurt. In this step, invest in yourself by learning a new skill: communication, basic programming, and even Excel. Remember, there is always time to learn! Expanding your work skills will encourage you to work harder, perform better, and take pride in your job.
3. Courage
Courage is the ability to pursue something, even if it is frightening. People in sales know this too well when approaching a potential client. Courage is that extra push we all need to achieve our goals.
Takeaway: Relationships are essential in business because it is the key that drives success. When people learn to invest in their work relationships, they’ll soon find more opportunities knocking at their doors. However, it’s essential to know that relationships should also be maintained, i.e., just because you managed to score a client doesn’t mean you can slack off and risk disappointing them!
Francis A Castelli 