5 Ways to Build Great Work Relationships

Transcript

[Presenter] How do you get on with your colleagues? Do you struggle to find common ground? Or do you have a work bestie who makes your working day that little bit more enjoyable?

We spend almost a third of our lives at work, so it's essential that we're able to get along well with our colleagues. In fact, studies show that people who have good friends in the workplace are happier, more engaged with their jobs, and more confident.

Better yet, good working relationships have also been linked to improved customer engagement and profits. And when you get along with your colleagues, whether it's your manager, your teammates, or others, you'll feel more motivated to help one another out.

Any good relationship is built on a foundation of trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion, and open communication. But these can take time and energy to cultivate, so don't be tempted to rush things, or even worse, lie. People might pick up that you're being phony, which could earn you a reputation for being insincere and untrustworthy.

So how can you build great work relationships? Let's explore five things you can do.

First, work on yourself. Listening and understanding are key components of any good friendship. People respond better when they feel they're being really listened to. So talk less and use mindful listening to demonstrate that you're really interested in what they have to say.

Use your emotional intelligence as well. This will help you to pick up on your own emotions and those of the people around you, so you can be there for people when they need it most.

Friendship takes time, and while work is important, it's okay to set aside some time to just have a chat. Perhaps you could go out for lunch or suggest a virtual coffee chat. Even if it's just a few minutes a day, these small acts of kindness will go a long way.

Everyone wants to feel appreciated, whether it's the CEO or an intern. Show people just how much you value their work by complimenting them on a job well done. Even just a quick "thank you" can make a real difference to someone's day.

Office politics and gossip are surefire ways to ruin good work relationships. So don't allow yourself to get caught up in it. If they find out you've been talking about them behind their back, it will likely lead to hurt feelings and mistrust.

If you do find yourself in conflict with someone, don't wait it out. Talk to them directly and find a way to work together amicably.

Finally, focus on the positives. People gravitate towards those who make them feel good. So take an optimistic attitude to work and demonstrate that you're approachable, kind, and caring.

You might find that you've got a good group of reliable work friends, but that there are still some people you just don't see eye to eye with. Chances are you're not going to be friends with everyone, but you still need to be able to work well together.

So here's a couple of handy tips that will help you to mend or maintain a professional relationship.

Often relationships become strained because of external factors such as power imbalances or pay discrepancies. If this happens, shift your focus away from what divides you and toward what unites you. Consider what you both want. Is there any common ground that you share? How can you use this to work together to achieve both of your goals?

Sometimes a good relationship can sour, but it doesn't mean that this has to be the case forever. Acknowledge that tension has crept into your relationship and reflect together on what went wrong.

Try also to remember all the positive experiences that you've shared in the past. Then ask yourselves, how can you make things better? What caused communication to break down? How could you avoid this in the future?

Let's recap.

When you have good friends you genuinely enjoy being around, it can make work fun and enjoyable. But when you don't, you might find that you become isolated, demotivated, even depressed.

So, do what you can to forge great work relationships by building strong bonds with the people you work with that are built on trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion, and open communication.

Listen mindfully to your colleagues; engage your emotional intelligence; come to work with a positive outlook; and show your appreciation for one another. Also, avoid harmful behaviors like gossiping. And, if conflict does arise, do what you can to address and resolve it quickly.

By focusing on your shared values and goals, you can turn even the most strained relationship into a professional and positive partnership.