All of us aim for professional success, no matter what realm of life we belong to. You could be a corporate professional, entrepreneur or government staff, the ladder for success has an important step – Positive Relationships at Work. You must necessarily cross this step before you reach the top. The reason is simple. In all walks of life, we are constantly working with people, or for people, or working to create something for people. Where there are people, there are networks and relationships. Cultivating positive relationships with those that you work with talks a great deal about your maturity, emotional intelligence, capability to influence and above all your personal credibility, all of these are critical factors for success in any arena. In fact, these qualities build your reputation. And we all know, no one ever liked working for someone grumpy! So what does it take to strike a great rapport with your colleagues, managers, stakeholders and team members?
5 Tips for Positive Relationships at Work
1) Professional conduct
A person who maintains professionalism in all their dealings always garners respect. Professionalism reflects your commitment to your job. Being on time, segregating work and personal boundaries, following the office code of conduct, appropriate dressing, and timely delivery of work, are all simple things that build your image as a person who takes their work seriously. No points for guessing that this quality will always land you in the good books of people you work with.
2) Ability to handle conflict
Conflict is an inevitable part of teamwork. I’d say, it’s more a necessary evil. How you manage conflict speaks volumes about your character. Are you quick to shift blame? Steal credit? Undercut others? Indulge in political games? Well sooner than later, people start to dislike working with people they see as potential threats. On the contrary, someone who is proactive in sharing information with others is transparent about risks and situations, voices concerns in a timely manner including others’ points of view are less likely to find themselves in conflict. A huge part of conflict management is empathy for the opposite party. Read the next point to know more.
3) Empathy
It is a simple ability to put oneself in the shoes of the other. The other could be your teammate, department, stakeholder, senior etc. It is being mindful of their situation and interests. In most situations, we miss this part, as we might be too absorbed in our own goals or results. A person who has empathy is generally system support for others to reach out for. And that automatically qualifies them as assets to have in the team. Next time you have a divergent view, try placing yourself in the other’s position, and then recommend a solution. And you’ll see, there will be a greater degree of acceptance of your ideas. And harmony in your professional relationships.
4) Tact
Tact is a hard-earned skill. But the most essential one is our social interactions, especially official ones. You may disagree with your colleague’s point of view or have negative feedback to share with your team member. How you put across your words in order for the other person to not feel offended or let down and yet get the message is what tact is all about. For example, “I didn’t expect such shoddy piece of work from you!” versus “One of the points for you to consider improving this is..“. You see, if you attack people with very direct criticism, they can take it personally. And if you share constructive feedback in a polite, non-confrontational way, you are more likely to find a common ground with people.
5) Connection
Oftentimes, we miss forging bonds beyond the workspace. Our personal prerogatives take over. You don’t have to move mountains to strike a friendship with people around you. Show genuine interest in people. Take a coffee break with them, offer to accompany them for lunch, invite them over for celebrations, join them for fun outings, check on their wellbeing, volunteer to help, and show solidarity in bad times. It’s the little things that count. The same set of people will also reciprocate your gestures in due course. Imagine how easy it is to work with people you can call friends!
So you see, it’s really that simple. All it needs you to do is drop judgement and assumptions about others. Be open, open to the feelings of others, open to feedback, open to communication, and open to friendships. With the above tips, you will be able to forge great working relationships that will boost the opportunities around you, be it positive peer feedback, appraisal feedback, referrals or special assignments etc. Eventually, positive relationships at work will also add to your quality of life. So take a shot at it!
PS: For more stories of empathy and positivity, grab a copy of my first book, Amazon Bestseller “People’s Kafe – Stories of Human Emotions, Endeavours & Inclusion”, now available for sale on Amazon @ https://lnkd.in/ghHGUJC
Also Read: 5 Tips for Choosing your Friends wisely!
A very insightful article on professional relationships for career development and growth!
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