Your ability as a leader to create and develop powerful relationships is
fundamental to success.—Sallie Sherman
Relationships really do matter. It could be with colleagues, customers, business partners, vendors, direct reports, senior leaders, and anyone else you interact with on a regular basis in the workplace.
Roger Trapp, a Forbes contributor on leadership shares key points made by Sallie Sherman in her book Five Keys to Powerful Business Relationships. They are:
Stay true to yourself
Sometimes leaders promoted to a higher executive position struggle to grasp new roles. “Those who are able to stay true to themselves and manage their initial anxiety listen more and seek feedback. That allows them to increase trust and develop powerful relationships.”
Manage multiple relationships
So many people will want your time; prioritize your list of your most important working relationships, don’t neglect established relationships, and do allow time to invest in new ones.
Build an organization where relationships thrive
By aligning your culture around values and goals while promoting trust and collaboration, workers are more inclined to take risks, learn from mistakes and adapt quickly.
According to Sherman, the most effective leaders are particularly good at:
Listening rather than talking
Being transparent
Connecting with others
Relationships improve the bottom line, increasing levels of effectiveness, desired results, and satisfaction levels. They can also make work fun!
Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation, and talented people working together.–Alan Mulally