In order to create those strong professional bonds, you are going to need to make sure that you have the right people skills and understanding the key things that impact on building relationships at work.
So, here are 5 top tips for improving your relationship building and people skills in the workplace. This blog has been contributed by communication and relationship experts – see here.
Be approachable and social
You are never going to find new friends at work if you don’t look like you are approachable, or if you don’t make an effort to put yourself in situations whereby you may meet people. It isn’t always easy pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and making the effort to talk to people, but we can promise you that the pay-out will be worth it.
After all, every good relationship and connection has to start somewhere. If you hide yourself away and don’t make that effort, then the only thing that is for sure is that you are not going to meet anyone new.
Always ask the right questions
You are not going to know much about the people that you meet, which means that it is down to you to don your detective hat and get to work finding out as much about them as you possibly can. The best way to get to know someone is to make sure that you ask questions about them.
You don’t want to probe too deeply right at the start, but you should make sure that you are asking questions which are going to help you to figure out who they are and whether or not they are someone who you want to progress your friendship with.
Work on your listening skills
It is one thing making sure that you ask all the right questions, but you also need to make sure that you are then listening to what the other person has to say. This could be in meetings or even in social settings.
As people we are pretty good at knowing when someone is listening to what we are saying, so don’t just rely on your ability to fake it. You need to be sincere and make sure that you are taking in everything that the other person has to say.
Remember what is important to other people
We all tend to be a bit selfish when it comes to our own opinions, our own thoughts and our own feelings. Which means that it can be hard to think of other people and what might matter to them.
When you are in a new position, and if it’s a big corporate environment you are going to be entering a real melting pot of people. This means that you will meet people who have similar approaches as you, but you are also likely to meet some people who might not be the same as you, so remind yourself that everyone is different and that there is no shame in that.
Have fun
It is no secret that every career is challenging and hard work, but it is also great fun too where you can grow and develop.
It is important to remind yourself, especially when you are feeling uncertain, that every career is an opportunity to experience things, learn new skills, make friends and develop too. That way you can take some of the pressure off that you might be feeling.
These are just some of the things to keep in mind when it comes to making sure that you make some worthwhile and long-lasting connections in your career. The main thing to remember is to put yourself out there and let other people into your world and in no time at all you should be making those connections that you hope for.