How can you prioritize relationship building as a leader?

I was sitting with a 90 year old businessman one time and he was on the phone trying to resolve an issue with his colleague. After he listened his counterpart's monologue, he responds back "John, you have to know where my heart is..." and proceeded to state his position. That single phrase "you have to know where my heart is" shines bright because it shows a lot of truth about human relationships: It's not enough to use wit & logic alone to build & maintain relationships You have to tie in that thing that makes use uniquely human: Our empathy, our poise, our energy, our HEART The capacity of a mind to think & the capacity of a heart to feel makes us human, and how we use both dictates our the kinds of relationships we build.

Relationship building is the core building block of anything. Without trust and a sense of responsibility to the other person there can be no relationship and therefore no outcome. I work with my heart, head and my skills to ensure that my team, my clients and candidates know that I value their relationship and their trust. Our empathy, our genuine caring for others, open communication are at the heart of being a leader. Transparency and authenticity is what sets you apart.

Building relationships is a core skill set any leader must build, refine, and excel at doing. Here are my suggestions: 1. Learn and understand the aspirations of those you engage with, which will help create a bond, build trust, and foster a partnership type of relationship. 2. Share insights that propel others forward using actionable advice. 3. Your voice, when speaking with your team, should resonate with authority, experience, and respect for your team. 4. Engage with your team, sharing ideas and asking for their ideas. Listen. 5. Lead with your authenticity and integrity, while always uplifting others with empathy and heart. Be human.

Building a team takes efforts on the part of the leader by investing time to cultivate bond with team members, its needed to understand about the persona, skills, strengths and background of team members. The bond with the team will help in longer terms to stay together and consistently deliver high quality deliverables. At times leaders become transactional and instruction giver and expecting the team to follow. This may become trigger to have high turnover, low morale and drop in productivity and quality. Great leaders always spend time with team members sometimes outside of work as well to form lifelong relationship. After all it is people management.

Self-awareness is the foundation of authenticity. Lead with purpose with a clear sense of vision. When your actions reflect your purpose, it builds trust. Lead by example through your actions and behavior. Do not afraid to show vulnerability. Admit when you don't know something or when you've made a mistake. It humanizes you and makes you relatable. Be consistent in your words and actions. Your team should know what to expect from you. Trust your team and treat them with respect. Take responsibility for your actions and decisions. If things go wrong, acknowledge it and work with your team to find solutions. Remember that authenticity is about being genuine, trustworthy, and true to your values in your professional role as a leader

There are various ways to show appreciation - and it simply starts with follow up. A note, whether email or physical, that recognizes your appreciation for their time. Time is a commodity and it's elusive for some people - especially leadership types. There are few things more motivating than public praise. Letting the world know that someone has been doing great work. Don't undervalue public praise. Whether that's a team email recognizing someone, or a LinkedIn post giving someone kudos. Don't undervalue a quick note of thanks and appreciation. You're never too big for that.

It is important to recognize that your team members are not all the same and will all respond differently to various ways you show appreciation. For example, some people love public recognition and others shy away from it and actively dislike it. Get to know what is meaningful to each member of your team and adapt to them! Always avoid the "good job, but..." pitfall. Adding a "but" or "here's how you can do more" after recognizing a job well done will negate all of the recognition. If you really need more, then avoid telling them they did a "good job". If the performance was good, just thank them for that.

Based on my book, "The Rookie CEO, You Can't Make This Stuff Up!", recognizing and appreciating the effort and accomplishments of team members are crucial for fostering a positive organizational culture. My top 3: 1. Personal Acknowledgment: - Acknowledge and commend individuals for their achievements 1:1 - Tailor recognition per individual to show genuine understanding and appreciation 2. Public Recognition: - Celebrate openly reinforcing a culture of appreciation - Utilize several means to highlight achievements. 3. Provide Growth Opportunities: - Offer professional and personal growth - Encourage continuous learning and development These methods will help foster a positive, growth-oriented culture.

Feedback always, not only for a mistake! Highlight a great job that a member of your team did, showing what and why you like and how this is important for the department and the company. This motivates them to seek constant self-improvement besides boosting their morale, loyalty and sense of self-realization.

Foster a culture of recognition and appreciation. Regularly acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and efforts of your team members. This can be done through formal recognition programs or simple expressions of gratitude. Recognizing their contributions reinforces their value within the team and organization, strengthening the relationships between you and your team members.

"You have two ears and one mouth, use it proportionately" is a top 10 quote in my book. We create win-win scenarios with most people when we do more listening than talking because of one simple reason: Everyone love to talk about themselves. So by encouraging others to share their stories and experiences, we better position ourselves to understand their perspectives and engage in topics they're passionate about. This fosters a connection and naturally enhances our standing in their eyes. I would highly recommend Dale Carnegie's Rule #7 in the book "How to Win Friends & Influencer People" for more on this topic

Acknowledging the time and person in front of you is crucial. As professionals, we all have scarce time and many objectives to achieve. Therefore, I cannot stress enough to all leaders the importance of leaving your phone alone during meetings/ 1-on-1's. It shows respect and helps build trust with your colleagues!

Lead by example and demonstrate active listening during team meetings and discussions. Show genuine interest in the ideas and opinions of your team members, and provide them with the space to express themselves. When you actively engage with their input and acknowledge their contributions, you foster an inclusive environment that encourages open communication and trust.

Active listening is the key here - Be 100% available and connected with your team, dedicating the proper time to understand their ambitions, fears, and concerns. This is a moment for them to give the feedback to you, and for you, the leader, to hear it and reflect.

listening is a first aid to every problems, trouble or challenges someone may have, that is the act of listening heal most people of their challenges before it been solve or solution is given to them. listening is also also a gift that few people has it, it give more profit to every organization that employ listeners to their organization. he who listen and listen well will always put him or herself into someone shoes or position at a point of any challenge.

This is critical in building trust and relationships within your company culture. In my book, "The Rookie CEO, You Can't Make This Stuff Up!", I offer: 1. Guided leadership development: a framework to structure personalized leadership programs, aligning team goals with organizational objectives. 2. Operational excellence training principles offering personalized efficiency for each team's contributions. 3. Continuous Learning Programs to nurture a leadership, growth-driven mindset through mentoring and coaching. These methods from my book and my extensive professional experience provide a systematic approach to nurturing a competent, growth-driven team poised to contribute significantly to organizational success. Cost can be minimal!

Empower your team by providing opportunities for professional growth and development. Offer mentorship, training, and resources that enable team members to expand their skills and advance in their careers. When you invest in their growth, you not only build stronger relationships but also inspire loyalty and dedication to the organization.

Your team must shine. Your task is give to them the path for it. So here act as a "Scrum Master", removing blocks, guiding them and understanding where they want to go professionally, to keep them always in the right way.

Celebrate the small wins! Sometimes the end goal can be daunting and breaking it into bite-size celebrations keeps the motivation while reaching the bigger goal!

Work hard, play hard baby. Celebrate the professional or personal achievements of each member of your team. This helps to reinforce the relationship between each other besides motivates them to constantly seek improvements and share their achievements.

The difference between average and exceptional teams often rests on the culture, camaraderie, and trust cultivated by the leader. Some leaders tend to foster an unhealthy competitive culture, where hierarchies dominate & teamwork is sacrificed. These teams typically suffer from frequent turnover, low morale, and poor collaboration, which negatively impacts their performance. Conversely, certain leaders excel at constructing exceptional teams. They empower team members, promoting open and transparent communication, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and instilling a positive, can-do attitude. These leaders create an environment where team members not only thrive but also contribute to the team's extraordinary results and growth.

This is one of the most undervalued and overlooked relationship-building skills: The Art & Science of Smiling ?? Studies in the "Journal of Nonverbal Behavior" show that when people smile, they're not only seen as more likable but also more competent. A smile creates positivity within our own psyche while also triggering the mirror neurons in others to also smile and draw in related emotions. This is why the saying of someone having a "Contagious Smile" even exists. I've received tons of compliments on my positivity, but the truth is that all I ever do I smile. Smile when I walk, talk, etc. It works. So Smile! It's one of the most powerful relationship-building tactic of them all, and helps us carry a civil tongue in our own mind.

Relationship building with the team, other stakeholders and clients is key but it doesn’t have to take up a lot of time or effort. The best and most efficient way to do it is by working together on a challenge, goal or project. Going through the process of defining the problem and identifying solutions is a natural way to build or strengthen relationships. Don’t overthink it, just have a bit of fun, show your humanity and see who wants to build a relationship with you.

I agree with the points in this article and will add: Strong relationships take time. Consider the people in your work and life that you want to establish or strengthen relationships with. How can you allocate some quality time to those relationships over the next few weeks? Within that quality time, avoid the trap of only working on the tasks at hand or staying surface level. Open up. Share something about yourself. Ask a thoughtful question. Show you care. That practice, over time, can help relationships grow and flourish.

One effective way to prioritize relationship building as a leader is to schedule dedicated time for one-on-one interactions with team members. Regular check-ins or informal meetings can provide opportunities to connect on a personal level, discuss goals, and address concerns. This shows your team that you value their individual contributions and well-being, strengthening the bonds between you.