Guest Article
As an entrepreneur myself, and having worked with teams on four continents, I’ve seen how the “care and feeding” of relationships produces real financial returns.
For startups and small businesses, the health of your relationships inside and outside the office is more important than you think. Here are four reasons to invest in the “soft” side of your business.
- We all depend on others for success. This is true whether you lead a team of hundreds, or are a solopreneur. Through the years I’ve seen amazing technologies, game-changing business models, and brilliant marketing plans. But the secret of success has always been an awareness of relationship-building skills. Think about it, the success of your next presentation or big project depends on other people. We’re usually only aware of this when things go wrong, or someone drops the ball. However, imagine if we actually learned to cultivate all these relationships – internal teams, vendors, and even that “made my day” coffee barista!
- It’s a small world. And it’s an even smaller business world! This means good news and bad news, about you and your company travels fast. And loud! As has always been the case, the “who knows you” trumps “who you know.” In today’s hyper-connected world, this is even more important. Technology has blurred the lines between business and personal. But in addition to being “careful,” we owe it to ourselves to grow a culture of healthy communication. This means, as leaders we need to intentionally invest in relationship-building tools, and increase our awareness of those we interact with.
- Gut reactions to “people problems” are usually wrong. Modern business culture often fosters (and often seems to reward) a “me-first” approach. So it’s natural to unconsciously model that mindset as normal. In addition, emotions can distort our view, especially in volatile interactions or disappointing situations. We need new skills to really hear what people are saying, and apply these skills in our own communications. As you learn to cultivate winning relationships, you’ll discover that a proactive approach dramatically reduces the number of “people problems.” You might even discover that you were the problem!
- We don’t communicate as clearly as we think. Business owners, especially new ones, often assume their intentions are being understood clearly. In fact, the very thing that makes them a visionary, often hinder the development of good communications. Entrepreneurs are always looking ahead, and that’s a good thing. But remember point #1: We depend on others for our success, and others are depending on you! We often assume our goals and “rules of engagement” are understood, and that’s a bad thing! If you take time to consider the root cause of recurring frustrations, or missed deadlines, you’ll find a lack of clarity is to blame. The truth is, we all need to invest in our communication and listening, skills – and we all can grow.
Business is personal. The quality of your workplace relationships determines your success – and the success of your company!
“Business People Talking” courtesy of Ambro / www.freedigitalphotos.net
About the author: Morag Barrett is founder of SkyeTeam, an international HR consulting company, and author of the new book, Cultivate: The Power of Winning Relationships. www.MoragBarrett.com
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