How to Build Relationships at Work
Behind the corporate system, there lie several individuals who function day and night to run the wheel and need to coordinate with one another for the organisation’s ultimate success.
As rightly said, communication is the key to success, it becomes even more so important in a corporate set up because livelihoods are at stake.
Even the slightest amount of discord between team members can bring the entire project to the ground. Thus, one must understand how to build cordial, genuine, and long-lasting, professional relationships to get the desired outcome.
Here we shall discuss some of the key pointers as to how one can build positive professional relationships.
1. Keep the Communication Honest and Transparent
When at work, one is dealing with a lot of stress. There are deadlines to be met, quotas to be fulfilled, presentations to be rendered.
During such times, it becomes essential that you have a transparent and candid conversation with your peers to direct the messages without any underlying confusion. One does not appreciate a colleague who says things under their breath.
So, get it out there and be honest in what you wish to achieve. That said, one must remember never to be rude and always take feedback in a positive way.
A straightforward attitude while communicating with your superiors, peers, and subordinates will help the organisation function well and help your relationships be built within its structures, leading ultimately, to your rise as a leader.
2. Respect Your Colleague’s Times
Time equals money, and rightfully so in the corporate world. One needs to respect one’s own and their colleagues’ time when it comes to building a strong professional relationship.
When working as a team, there often comes a time when a lot of your colleagues are dependent on your coordination and completion of a certain part of the project. Do not let that ball be pent up in your court; deliver it on time.
Not only will this boost your colleagues’ confidence in you, but they will also like the fact that you are dependable and can get the job done.
By respecting deadlines and time limits, one also builds a lot of trust and strong professional relationships with one’s peers at work.
3. Be Cautious With Social Media
Social media has taken over the world by a storm. Everyone, whether they are professionals or corporate workers, are on these platforms.
Although befriending colleagues on these myriad social media platforms is not something to worry about, how one interacts with them is something to note.
One simple comment or like can dampen your reputation which you have built over the years. Thus, one must check one’s organisation’s social media policy before getting into befriending colleagues on it.
Let’s just say, we advise work and play to be separate and to build truly positive and sturdy professional relationships at work, you should limit your interactions with your colleagues to work-related projects only.
4. Give and Take Constructive Feedback
The corporate world is all about teamwork. And, constructive criticism is the essence of building and running a successful team. Do not be harsh with your wordings when telling your colleagues how you feel the project should be headed.
Everyone on that table is a deserving individual with years of experience behind them. Treat them with respect but do not mum yourself when it comes to giving positive feedback.
In the same vein, we must say that when a colleague or a superior is nudging you to discuss a certain policy or a certain clause in that coveted project you all have been working on, do not let your ego get the better of you.
Be a good listener to build a truly lasting work relationship with your colleagues and respect their point of view.
5. Often Use Common Day Courtesies
As simple as it may sound, it is effective to build a healthy work climate at your office. What better than to begin your day with a good morning and a polite hello now and then.
Not only do these common courtesies help to break the ice, but they are also the first steps towards creating those lasting professional relationships.
Maintain healthy eye contact with your peers while exchanging these courtesies and see the magic happen.
Common courtesies bring about positivity in the workplace, puts everyone at ease with each other, and lets you shine as the beacon of leadership.
6. Do Not Get Entangled in the Grapevine
To be genuinely positive, a person needs to be above office politics, gossip, and that grapevine, which generally tends to tarnish a person’s professional relationship with their peers.
One needs to focus on one’s work and not engage in these pastimes to be productive and have a healthy work relation with all. It might sound fun and might help you take the steam off. It might also just not be harmful.
But believe us, no one respects a gossipmonger, lesser even to build a working relationship with them.
Thus, to stay out of this campy situation, focus on the work at hand, and to truly build work relationships, one needs to be above it all.
7. The Follow Up Routine
The sign of a genuine relationship is when your peers feel that you truly care about their professional work being.
Thus, as a leader, it is not just your work to assign the task but also take a genuine interest in the follow up of the project build-up that is happening.
Do not wait for the final presentation to happen, and then blow your colleagues off about not communicating beforehand.
Be proactive and get out there to say hello and track the progress. This will not only let your team members have trust in you, but you also will be able to build lasting professional relationships.
