| Welcome to Issue #2 of The Leading Edge, a bimonthly e-letter from Leadership Development Services. In the last issue we discussed What Leaders Do.This month, we explore relationships because we believe that in leadership they really matter. |
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Relationships Matter
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Successful
leaders work at relationships as a matter of course. Most leaders
we know tell us that while technical skills helped them get their job and
establish their credibility, their people skills are crucial to success at
their current job. These skills can be measured. Daniel Goleman researched 300 Fortune 500
companies, and found that 90% of leadership success could be credited to
Emotional Intelligence: the ability to read others and build social
relationships.
Click here to learn more about our leadership workshop on
emotional intelligence. http://www.leadservs.com/workshops.php
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Leadership In Action:
How to Start Building Relationships |
"So, what are the keys to building relationships?" asked a manager at a recent leadership retreat. He described himself as someone who felt intimated, self-conscious and tongue-tied when meeting new people, especially those at a senior level. He had few close relationships at work and mostly kept to himself. People saw him as cold and distant.
It is helpful to keep in mind that those who emanate positive energy and smile naturally draw people to them. You can start by offering "hellos" and nods. Find a way to connect with the person. Every meeting or walk-down-the-hall is an opportunity to make a connection. Look up and out, and make eye contact. Invite interaction and see what happens.
Early interactions might start with small talk, but they don't need to be trivial. What are you currently reading of interest, or what article in the Wall Street Journal is worth sharing with a co-worker? A news item, a good movie or book can be the start of a relationship-building conversation. Make sure you don't dominate the conversation or try to show others how smart you are. Relationship building is a dialogue, not a monologue. |
Something to Think About:
Three Things You Can Do
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How do I take my relationship to the next level?
- Follow up on your initial conversation with an email. Express your enjoyment at meeting your co-worker or state that you are looking forward to getting to know them. If the new relationship is with someone at work - ask him or her to lunch or coffee within the next few weeks.
- If you receive a humorous email or cartoon, pass it on to your new colleague with a comment. It will help keep the connection going. Just make sure it is workplace appropriate.
- Ask advice that draws on someone's experience or expertise, especially with more senior colleagues. When someone feels appreciated for their knowledge or skills, they naturally open up and often gravitate towards a relationship.
- Look for opportunities to strengthen and grow existing relationships. You can learn and garner support from friends or colleagues. At its best, when a relationship is reciprocal and mutually satisfying, it deepens and grows into a true friendship -- one that can be counted on in times of need.
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More to Think About:
Be Proactive! |
Actively expand your current network. Enlarging your circle of contacts will increase the opportunities you have to build business, circulate a resume, and find a job for a friend. Discover the contacts behind your contacts. It is the first step in building connections. Who do your friends know? Who do they do business with? By establishing rapport, members of your network are more likely to share contacts with you and thereby increase your potential opportunities. |
Digging Deeper:
Resources |
 Visit our new Center for Mentoring Excellence to find out more about tools and training you can use to promote individual and organizational mentoring excellence. While you are there check out the details for our day-long mentoring workshop (Mentoring: Strategies for Success) in Chicago on May 26, 2010. |
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What's Coming In May:
Trust Matters
- Building a Trust Account
- Trusting Yourself to Trust Others
- Expanding Your Circle of Trust
- Rebuilding Trust Once Broken
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About Leadership Development ServicesWe help individuals and organizations
achieve excellence through leadership development. To do this, we provide
customized training, facilitation, consultation, and coaching services (on-site
and virtual) that improve the quality of leadership and mentoring. We partner
with clients to create sustainable mentoring support structures and processes
and roadmaps for creating a mentoring culture. We offer innovative and
comprehensive leadership development programs to enhance individual and
organizational learning and accountability. Our long-standing relationships
with clients around the world are testimony to our ability to facilitate
results that matter.
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