What do you do if your professional relationships are not yielding desired results?

First off a mindset that helps me is "any resistance usually stem from a real concern or problem you just might not see or fully understand". It's simple but powerful, especially when you combine it with assuming positive intent. With that in mind, I have found the use of empathy maps helps build an understanding and new ways to meet the person where they are. Lastly, spar with a trusted coach or mentor to help you reflect on what you have experienced and how you've shown up.

The first phase is to explore the question: "What are the signs showing the reason of undesired outcomes are the professional relationships?" Mostly people shame and blame themselves in case they do have problems with professional relationships. With that, the communication even gets harder. Working with a professional coach helps to remove the walls people build around themselves, evaluate the problems from a neutral point of view, and reflect with a broad and effective perspective.

I've spent more than a decade researching and writing about the importance of our professional relationships - for our success at work, and in life. If your relationships/network aren't providing what you need my advice is to start looking inward. To have a friend at work you need to be a friend at work - shift the focus from what are you getting to what are you giving. Building strong professional relationships is about mutual benefit and shared growth. By enhancing what you bring to the table, you might naturally see an improvement in the outcomes of these relationships.

Communication is the most important professional skill to master. Direct and open communication with active listening skills is the basis of effective communication. After exploring the problems, it is important to create the intention to reach out to the source of the problem and have an honest dialogue. It requires vulnerability, openness, and authenticity to establish the grounds for effective communication with the intention to solve and improve the relationship, not shaming and blaming others.

If one has the intention to positively improve relationships, that means the person is already invested in putting an effort to whatever needs to happen to create the bond and cultivate the connection.

Deep learning - there are so many great books and perspectives in the area! Ask your coach for reading list! Calls to action - Rethink your communication style and consider whether you're making calls to action to get the results you want. If you don't ask you don't get. Prepare - Build in time to prepare for meetings and calls and set objectives. If time is an issue considering shortening meeting durations to 15 minutes - take 10 minutes to prepare beforehand. You then have an extra bonus 5 minutes for in the meeting itself! You'll find the preparation improves efficiency.

In my opinion, the key here is to remember that people value sincerity over self-interest, so always focus on building an authentic relationship first. Start by approaching professional relationships with genuine curiosity and a sincere desire to understand others. Once trust is built and a strong connection is established, you can then collaborate towards common goals.