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Business relationships play an important role in the success of a company. A good business relationship can help to generate business in long term contracts. Therefore, building superior business relationships is what you should always keep in mind. Here some 7 keys for you to do it:
1. It’s always the first impression
You already know the importance of first impressions. When you first meet a mortal be it grappling to grappling or on the phone or in writing, you are conveying an image that the other mortal can’t help but make a snap judgment and burn into their mind their first impression of you. But have you considered that each time you interact with a person, you have the same opportunity to create that impression be it for good or bad. Just because you know someone, don’t take the relationship for granted.
Keep treating them with respect and you will be creating positive first impressions over and over again.
2. Respect is everything
Before there can be a meaningful positive relationship there has to be mutual respect. Mutual respect is a two-way street meaning that if you’re dealing with your boss or a client, they have to respect you as well as you respecting them. Without respect, whatever relationship you develop has a foundation of sand and can topple easily. Just keep in mind that if you try to acquire their respect and the attempts fail, that relationship is doomed to change as well.
3. Communication is a full-body exercise
To be a truly effective communicator you have to become a skilled listener and polyglot of body language.
Just listening isn’t enough. You have to become adept at judging the emotional say of the other mortal to comprehend the context of what is being said. When it’s your turn to speak remember that the other mortal is consciously or subconsciously watching your body language as well. If all your communications are honest, then your body will naturally respond to your emotions.
4. Be thoughtful
Random acts of thoughtfulness make large impressions because thoughtfulness in the business world is an evenhandedly rare commodity. Use the calendar on your Outlook and enter birthdays and work anniversaries and make a point to convey congratulations, preferably in mortal but by phone or email if you can’t. You don’t have to purchase a gift, just the fact that you remembered their special day is gift enough.
5. Be consistent
Nobody likes surprises when it comes to relationships. Live by your set of values which means be the mortal at work that you are at home. Too many people, particularly income people, feel that they have to adopt a second personality for the workplace and many times that second personality is in conflict with the “real” personality’s values. Living by one set of values makes it far easier to communicate with others.
6. Help yourself by helping others
This is really the key to building solid relationships. You can speak the speak about respect and communication skills but when you achievement the achievement assisting others you are building relationships with the strongest material available, your deeds. Focus on helping others succeed. Do your ideal to help your boss make his goals. Go out of your way to help a client succeed even if it means sending part of the business elsewhere. If you don’t have the solution but you can advocate who does, that client will come back to you because of the trust and respect he has for you.
7. Know when to end a relationship
Just like a bad marriage is harmful to both husband and wife, a bad business relationship is going to have a negative effect on both parties. Married couples in trouble can seek counseling and it might be that a third celebration in your network can serve in that role to try and save the relationship. But when respect and trust are gone it’s time to end it.
Stay consistent, stay honest and offer respect and anticipate it in return and you’re well on your way to building business relationships that will last into the future.
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Have you read the original anthology that was the catalyst for The Good Men Project? Buy here: The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood
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Photo courtesy iStock.
