Building Relationships at Work: Why It Matters and How to Do It?

Building relationships is about fostering genuine connections that lead to collaboration and innovation.

Let me ask you a simple question. Have you read a book on building trust and personal responsibility?

I am sure your answer is going to be NO!

My next question is why?

Don’t you think trust is an extremely critical factor in your life? Or in the life of people, you are going to be working or are working right now?

Think about it.

Why don’t we read a book on this subject, or perhaps why we do not make it as the number one priority in our life – I will focus on building trust and I will take personal responsibility for it.

We focus a lot on learning all kinds of skills but we never talk about building trust among people we work with or people around us. I honestly don’t know.

Let me ask you another question.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Trust”?

I am sure you are also thinking about ‘Relationships”.

In this article, we will cover the 6 key rules of building relationships in an organization.

If you want to be successful in your career, you need to read this article.

Let us talk about one of the most important aspects of the corporate world – building relationships.

Whether you’re working in a large organization, a small business, or as an entrepreneur, having strong relationships is critical to your success.

Relationships are all about connecting with people, building trust, and collaborating effectively.

How can you build relationships? Let’s explore this subject in a little more detail.

In a fast-paced work environment, building relationships may seem like a luxury.

But it’s actually a necessity for long-term growth and success.

We are going to focus on six must-have skills you need to inculcate to become successful in the corporate world.

Based on my experience these skills are taught by our own experiences rather than going through an instructor-led classroom session.

I also personally believe, no one teaches us these skills, but our own deeper experiences working with people, sometimes easy and sometimes in a really hard way.

So, let’s get started.

Active Listening

The first skill that we are going to cover which is crucial to building relationships is active listening.

You have to ask yourself this question- Are you an active listener?

Active listening means when you’re talking to someone, it’s important to give them your full attention.

This means putting away distractions like your phone, making eye contact, and really focusing on what they’re saying.

It’s not just about hearing their words – it’s also about paying attention to their tone of voice, their body language, and the underlying emotions behind their words.

When you actively listen, you show the other person that you value and respect their perspective, which is the foundation of building trust.

Empathy

The next most important skill in building relationships is empathy.

This means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their feelings and perspective.

It’s important to remember that everyone has their own unique experiences and challenges, and by showing empathy, you can build stronger relationships with your colleagues, clients, and customers.

So before you react, take a pause, bring empathy into your thought process, genuinely try to understand the other person’s perspective before you react in any situation.

Communication Skills

Then next up is good communication skills. This is quite critical for building relationships in the corporate world.

Clear communication can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts, and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

It is important to be able to express your thoughts and ideas effectively, ask questions, and provide feedback in a respectful and constructive way. If you master this skill, the world will be yours.

Conflict Resolution Skills

Let’s move to the fourth one. In any relationship, conflicts are bound to arise from time to time.

That’s why it’s important to develop strong conflict-resolution skills.

This means being able to listen to all parties involved, find common ground, and come up with a mutually acceptable solution.

When conflicts are handled with empathy and respect, it can actually strengthen relationships and build trust.

So till now we have covered 4 important skills and now it’s time to talk about the remaining two. In my view they hold quite a weightage.

I personally believe they are like a fulcrum in this endeavour of building trust and relationships.

Flexibility and Adaptability

So the first one of the remaining two is – Being flexible and adaptable.

People have different communication styles, work styles, and personalities, so being willing to adjust your approach can help you connect with others more effectively.

Remember, people come from different cultural backgrounds, and they have different belief systems and unless we are flexible and adaptable, it will be hard to work with them.

We should not forget that, if we have to be productive; we need to collaborate with the people around us.

Networking

Finally, the last one is networking.

One cannot emphasize enough on this aspect when it comes to growing your career.

It is an essential part of building relationships in the corporate world.

Attending events, conferences, and other networking opportunities can help you connect with people in your industry, learn about new trends and opportunities, and build relationships that can help you advance in your career.

Before concluding this article, let me share my experience in the corporate world.

I have seen a very clear demarcation between people who are flamboyant and successful and those who are hardworking and average perhaps.

It is quite evident in each case that the difference lies in their ability to build relationships with people around them.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, it’s easy to get caught up in daily tasks and deadlines.

But in order to truly succeed and thrive in the workplace, it’s essential to build strong relationships.

The resulting Increase in Collaboration and Enhanced Work Quality will set you on a definite path to success in the organization.

Good Luck!