It’s not what you know it’s who you know. We all know how true of a statement this is. It is safe to say, many highly successful people come from highly successful people. They are presented with better chances for success, because of relationships they have fostered on their own or through the people they know. Relationships can put us in rooms that are not opened to everyone with people that are not available to everyone. They afford us the opportunity to make deals that would be almost impossible to make had it not been for the relationship. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born with relationship equity, therefore, relationships must be built through time and effort.
In the past, work was all about my performance for me. Believing, “I don’t come to work to make friends, I come to work to work, and if I make some along the way, fine”. Some people share in this same ideology and believe that being personable or social at work is beneath them and it is not a necessity in the work environment. This couldn’t be further from the truth, especially if you’re looking for accomplishments that require the involvement of others. As social beings we have a need for people and a need to make connections with others. We are pack animals and it is in our nature to socialize and rely on each other. For these reasons having some level of emotional intelligence or EQ is super important to forge work relationships.
Can you rely on your reputation to close the deal for you?
N.Atchley
Work relationships may help you navigate your industry regardless of position. From line worker to project manager, understanding your individual level of social awareness and relationship management may help you form and maintain helpful relationships built on understanding and trust amongst the people you work with, for and over. You never know what your future holds, nor who you may run into in the future. Consider the impression you leave on people and how that might come back to help or hinder you in the future. Consider the level of respect and trust you have built and if people will be willing to work with you in the future. Can you rely on your reputation to close the deal for you? Remember relationships can very well be the one thing that opens up doors or closes them.
Nicole Atchley, LLC
The Leadership Perspective 