The Power of Relationships

One thing you’ll often hear from Eight Eleven Group, the parent company of Brooksource, Medasource, and Calculated Hire, is that “relationships are at the center of everything we do.” As a people-person, it was attractive seeing that tagline in my soon-to-be employer five years back, but what exactly did that mean? How would it progress my career? And, most relevant to all, how have “relationships” changed today?

There is no doubt that relationships as we have known them in the past were drastically impacted by this past year’s health and economic crisis. I am not here to write about covid, but I would be remiss if I did not touch on the impact it has made on our relationship building.

While my perspective is from a business development leader lens, the thoughts I’m going to share with you today are thoughts that I believe will resonate with any professional, student, family member, friend, or human being.

To break it down for you, here is what we’ll be discussing:

1.      As a growing or aspiring professional, who should you develop a connection with? 

2.      How can I provide or receive value from those in my network?

3.      How have business relationships changed with the advancement of technology and the pandemic?

I. As a growing or aspiring professional, who should you develop a connection with?

I found the most value early on in scheduling and creating conversations with like-minded individuals, primarily because this population was easy to connect and speak with. That still rings true today, but left me without much diversity of thought after a few bouts. This practice primarily solidified existing opinions and biases that were already set in my head. Not ideal.

Diversity of thought is how we grow and expand our education and perspective of the world. There was no pivot point or break-through moment for me. However, over the past few years, I’ve found myself more challenged and experienced expedited growth by having conversations with individuals and business leaders who come from different backgrounds, professions, and upbringings. They question your existing thoughts, open your viewpoints, and help you see in a more well-rounded fashion.

Connect with those who educate you

Connect with those who have different thoughts than you

Connect with those who push you to be better

For anyone who’s responsibilities include client engagement and growth, it’s imperative to obtain a holistic view of those you are servicing. How do you do this? By participating in conversations with various levels of leaders, departments, geographical locations, and tenure within the organization. You will lose if you focus solely on the individuals who create, and sign Purchase Orders or new agreements.

II. How can I provide or receive value from those in my network?

Focus on the ‘giving’ first. Offer what you can and what you believe is most relevant to your audience., The film Pay It Forward follows the story of a young boy learning the importance of serving first.  I rolled my eyes when my mother insisted I watch the film in my younger years. However, the lessons learned are relevant to all, and you cannot deny the power of putting others ahead of yourself.

Whether you are conscious of the needs of your audience or not, ask open-ended and thought-provoking questions. This creates free-range dialogue and enables the conversation to take shape with what is most important. With strong follow up questions and good note taking, you will have a great understanding of where they are experiencing struggles or need additional assistance. It’s up to you to gauge and position yourself for what you can bite off for them.

Ask how you can help

Ask open-ended questions

Ask for help if you need it

Be clear in what you can provide. Education and a clear description of services will leave the audience with an understanding of where you can fit in to their demands. If they are acutely aware of what you add to said leader’s toolbelt, they can help you better navigate today’s complex world and plug you in at the best moment.

III. How have business relationships changed with the advancement of technology and uninvited pandemic?

Do you feel guilty of or less impactful after writing out emails when you could have addressed the situation or ask over the phone?  We have become overly reliant on our keyboards! The millennial generation was targeted heavily for years for being the guilty party of losing touch with in-person interaction due to the advancement of technology. But who would argue against the fact that all demographics and age groups are guilty of it in 2021?

While there is increasing optimism that we are returning to a more physically interactive world with vaccine distribution, many companies and individuals are still working from home and hesitant about fully engaging in-person, which is totally understandable. However, we have furthered the divide of sharing emotions and engagements in real time because we are so dependent on texts, posts, emails, and/or written communication.

Live communication is quickest.

Live communication is most impactful.

Live communication is what leaves the strongest impressions.

You cannot read emotion through text. If given the opportunity, communicate in real-time. I’ll speak on behalf of most students and professionals right now, we are exhausted of virtual video meetings. Phone calls are fine. Take a walk and stretch your legs if you must during a meeting. Prioritize live communication over written.

The development of new and existing relationships can and will be approached differently for each individual. That is human nature and what makes us unique. The points above can be adopted by anyone, and I’m curious to hear takeaways or creative applications on the subject.

Comment below if you have additional insight or questions on the subject!

Sonny Creech

Calculated Hire