Strong and lasting professional relationships help you grow in your career and succeed. It offers several industry benefits, including help in job hunting, industry knowledge, and help in times of need.
A network full of coworkers, mentors, team members, and professionals from other organizations can’t be underestimated. You never know when and how you might need their support!
So, if you’re wondering how to start building and maintaining professional relationships, let’s learn more here!
Show your most authentic side
People in the professional world are more likely to stay connected with you if you’re genuine. So, avoid pretending to match your thinking style with theirs.
Absolutely never act like you know it all or more than others. Otherwise, people will catch up to your lies, and you’ll wreck your image.
Rather, be authentic about your strengths and weaknesses and show your curiosity to learn more.
Pick where you want to build relationships
You can build new connections just within your workplace or beyond. For the former, you can talk with coworkers before the beginning of your workday, during lunch break, or after the end of the workday.
Some even take time to build professional relationships before starting meetings or during company outings.
For the latter, you must join as many networking events as possible. Take your time knowing people and their expertise and learn from them.
Create a major impression on them using metal business cards with QR code. Let them scan your card to get the contact information.
This not only prevents card reprinting prices but also saves the environment from unnecessary paper wastage. You also ensure the other person doesn’t lose your contact!
Work on your relationship skills
Some important skills that can help you form lasting professional connections are communication skills and active listening skills.
You must also learn to resolve conflict with emotional intelligence, which can be enhanced using
- Self-awareness: the ability to understand your emotions, needs, and expectations in professional settings.
- Self-regulation: the skill to calm your thoughts and emotions to work on a greater cause.
- Empathy: the ability to comprehend and empathize with others’ circumstances.
Have a quality conversation
Based on the other person’s expertise and qualifications, ask them questions to learn more. You can also ask them about their professional goals, financial goals, daily needs, and even slight personal life details.
When they share their thoughts, listen to them attentively and avoid fiddling with your devices. Don’t interrupt them in between, and ensure your body language shows that you’re interested in listening to them.
These will help you create a warm and welcoming bond. If they ever need someone to talk to, they’ll feel comfortable sharing their feelings with you.
Offer and seek help
If anyone in your professional life or networking group seeks you, listen to them without any prejudice. Don’t judge them for finding an easy matter challenging. Remember, this is a great opportunity for you to grow close!
For instance, if a coworker feels troubled by their project, support them. If a networking partner needs professional guidance, drop a few suggestions. If anyone
As you guide them using your skills, you are highly likely to receive support from them. Whenever you need assistance, seek it. You will slowly create a give-and-take connection where you are both valuable to each other.
Appreciate others’ efforts
Show appreciation for the other person’s hard work in supporting you. If the other person is someone on equal professional footing, congratulate them and pat their back.
If it’s a team member or employee, reward them in some way. This can be a bonus or public acknowledgment. In fact, statistics show that 79% of employees become more loyal to their jobs when they receive awards.
If it’s someone beyond your company, offer a small gift for their help. Even the slightest amount of appreciation can help you build lasting bonds.
Stay in touch
Sometimes, people don’t stay in touch after receiving and offering help. However, you need to put an effort to continuously stay connected with your network even if you’re not working on the same project or you don’t need their assistance immediately.
Keep the small talk free-flowing with regular check-ins on social media and once-in-a-while meetings. Update them about what’s up in your life as well to stay on top of their mind!
Conclusion
Professional relationships are significant for new opportunities. So, start building a strong community immediately to reap the benefits later on!
