Outside the Lines presented by McMahon Careers: Key Points to Building Lasting Personal and Business Relationships
Frank Fanning| Chief Relationship Officer| McMahon Careers
You hear it all the time that the racquet sports industry is a small world, and you never know when or where a connection you made may come in handy. In my life and my career, I have made it a priority to build relationships in order to grow both personally and professionally, and along the way, I have found that there are five key factors that are crucial to building lasting relationships.
1. Communication: Open and honest communication is essential for building lasting relationships, fostering understanding, and resolving conflicts. The key to effective communication is seeking to find points of connection. Points of connection can be anything from shared experiences and interests, to emotions or stories. Finding points of connection takes effort but it is worth it. Trying to get to know the people you are engaging with shows a respect for them, their views, their values, and their priorities.
2. Trust: Establishing trust is crucial. Consistently delivering on promises and being reliable helps build a foundation of trust in both personal and business relationships. When employees have confidence in their colleagues and leaders, it promotes loyalty and engagement. Trust amongst colleagues allows people to feel empowered and to share opinions and ideas and leads to better collaboration and teamwork. When you prioritize trust you create a sense of belonging and connectedness where everyone feels valued.
3. Mutual Respect: Treat others with respect, valuing their opinions and perspectives. Mutual respect forms the basis for healthy and enduring connections. A common misconception about mutual respect is that it means you always agree. However, this is not the case ,as mutual respect is the acknowledgement of another person’s opinions and feelings, even if you don’t agree with them. A simple way to show mutual respect is through active listening– taking the time to focus on the opinions of others and what they are sharing.
4. Empathy: Show empathy by understanding and acknowledging the feelings of others. This creates a deeper connection and fosters a supportive environment. A simple and powerful way to connect and care for others is to recognize others’ emotions–especially negative ones. When we are recognized by those who we share a connection with, we feel a tighter tie to them and have an easier time opening up. In the workforce, employees who felt caring from colleagues had less emotional exhaustion, less absenteeism, better teamwork and higher satisfaction.
5. Collaboration: Whether in personal or business relationships, collaboration is key. Working together towards common goals enhances the strength and longevity of the relationship. Collaboration is easier than ever thanks to technology, but you should never discount the value of sitting side by side with someone to work together. Collaboration encourages problem solving, and allows people to learn from one another.
It’s been said many times that people who have healthy relationships are more likely to feel happier and satisfied with their lives. They are less likely to suffer from physical and mental health problems, and healthy relationships can make you feel less alone. We can all benefit from a sense of belonging.