3 ways to boost your relationships

Regardless of what work you do or what organisation you work for, every business is a human business. Given this is the case then the success or failure of your business is totally dependent upon the relationships that you build, maintain, repair and sustain over time. Relationships, by their very nature, change, develop, grow, dissolve, go through hurdles, and evolve. Therefore to boost the key relationships around you engage in the following three actions:

1. Catch-up face-to-face – It sounds obvious but in the era of technology and desk-bound jobs we can often lose sight of the value of catching up with others face-to-face. I recently met with a colleague for a brief power-packed 20 minute meeting. The impact of that meeting for both of us was much stronger than any amount of phone-calls or emails could have made.
2. Aim to share and learn –Strong relationships in both your work and personal life are those that are characterised by mutual learning and growth. Relationships that strengthen over time stretch us and allow us to develop others. In your interactions today with colleagues, customers, clients or suppliers consider what you can share and what you can learn.
3. Mix it up – Relationships can fall into a pattern of similarity. To refresh and revive your relationships mix up your pattern of behaviour. Take a lunch-time walk with a colleague, meet a client or customer for coffee somewhere neither of you have been, send a thank-you gift to someone who has helped promote your business.

We look forward to catching up with you sometime soon.

Yours in friendship,

Darren and Alison