Relationships -

Building Successful Relationships

Explore the science and practical models to build authentic connection in the workplace.

Download the free Relationship Dashboard (PDF)

Download the free Relationship Dashboard (Excel)

Don't good relationships just "happen?"

Absolutely. Sometimes, you'll find a natural connection with a colleague, and those relationships feel great. Wouldn't you want to know why?

And sometimes the spark just "isn't" there. Perhaps it goes as far as being in active conflict with each other, or resisting the relationship "just because."

Building successful relationships across your organization requires two core things.

Knowledge and intent.

We work with executives and teams to build positive, healthy and successful relationships based on proven models and neuroscience principles.

Sound interesting? Lets' get started now!

Your Relationship Dashboard

Starting with "intent" the first step is to build a Relationship Dashboard - a list of the most important professional relationships for your success. We've included the both the steps and a template to get you started.

The most important 4-5

Start by identifying the top 4-5 people (not teams, companies or organizations) who are most important to your success (typically may be your leader, board, a key peer), where you want or need to improve the relationship.

Rate "here" and "then"

Using a scale of 1-7 (where 1 is it couldn't get any worse and 7 is it couldn't get any better, rate the quality of the relationship where it is today. Once you've rated that, rate where you want the relationship to be in 12 months.

Before you rate the "then" score as 7s for everyone, read the next step.

Improve with intent

Here's a brief story to illustrate the importance of intent. And if you are interested in learning more about storytelling, click here.

David's girlfriend loves orchids. She keeps them alive through many regrowth cycles and treasures them.

If David stops at the supermarket or garden center and brings home an orchid, he has taken a specific "new" action to improve the relationship (and it works ♥)

If David DOESN'T stop to get an orchid, the relationship remains where it is. Still in a good place, but no one took any action to make it better.

(BTW - David's girlfriend, wonderful as she is, wanted us to add that he definitely does not buy her enough orchids)

With the premise that your relationship is where it is today based on the actions you are already taking, the next step is to identify a "new" action for every point difference you want to achieve. Something you are not already doing.

Actions can be small and simple

When thinking of actions to take, they can be small, easy or quick. They don't have to be massive changes. Here are some examples:

Do the next meeting in their office
Invite them for coffee
Vocally support their position in a meeting
Listen to their position carefully before responding
Ask them how they prefer to communicate.

Be patient

Changing relationships takes time. Some actions will work, some won't. Continue to work on each relationship with intent, trying new actions as needed. If you achieve your target score, replace the relationship with someone new, keeping your dashboard as an active, living challenge to yourself to build better relationships.

This is just the beginning

In our work with clients on relationships, we go much deeper, understanding how to influence people, how to build rapid connection and how to be clear in every relationship you build. If you are interested in learning more, book your free consultation today.

Flexible to meet your needs

We work with clients on building successful relationships in both 1-1 coaching relationships and with teams in workshops ranging from 1 hour, to 1/2 day to full day sessions.

Working Agreements

Learn how to ask just 3-5 questions to create clarity in how you work together effectively.

Creating Influence

Learn how to appeal to the five factors that EVERY human desires, and how to remove your own barriers to a successful relationship.

New Connections

Identify how to build new relationships quickly and to a deep level of trust

In their shoes

Learn how to approach challenging conversations differently, to give yourself a greater probability of getting what you want.

Understand Trust

Understand how to build individual and team trust and how to repair relationships when trust is broken.

Effective Feedback

Learn how to give and receive great positive, coaching and performance feedback that creates the space for change.

Saying "no"

Nobody likes to hear "no". Learn how to set boundaries without compromising your relationships.

Work "games"

Explore transactional analysis - the dysfunctional games that people play in a business environment and how to develop healthier relationships.

Are you ready to build better relationships?

Book a free consultation