The Arrows of Relationship Building

Offer something before you ask for something. People are more likely to help you out if you help them out. Call it karma, reciprocity, or “The Golden Rule,” but people are much more likely to provide for you if you provide for them.

Be a professional but also a friend. Having humanity in business is the key to making everything flow properly. Be professional when you network but also be warm, friendly, and loving. Business relationships, like all relationships, require love for things to flow smoothly. And people are much more likely to keep returning to you for business if you made them feel good. Don’t just treat them like a cold transaction.

Preparation is key. Whether you’re going into a meeting, an interview, or a new venture, you have to be prepared. Everything works out when we have an opportunity but also have the preparation for it to flourish. When you’re prepared you’re much more likely to be in a positive state which will show in your presentation and your communication.

Trust keeps relationships together. If you do something unethical to win business you will lose the trust of your coworkers and your clients. And once you lose trust, it’s nearly impossible to get back. Likewise the more trust you build with someone the more likely they are to always come back with opportunities.

Pay attention to how you feel. Feelings can take you wherever they want but chances are they won’t always direct you where you want to go. By being emotionally intelligent we can then turn negative emotions into positive ones and better cope with obstacles and challenges.

Learn the balance between speaking and listening. It’s always good to balance communicating to the other person but also listen and understand their needs. Too much talking will make you miss opportunities to learn and understand your clients. Too much listening will not convey what you need the other party to know.

Keep your promises. This goes back to gaining and maintaining trust. If you keep your promises then people will rely on you and trust you. This creates strong bonds that keeps business thriving. Everyone wants to do business with someone they trust can always deliver for them.