If you value your workplace relationships, like anything else you value, you will from time to time stop and reflect on what’s working and what needs improvement.
It’s the start of the year and as you slide back into your work, this is the perfect time to consider your workplace relationships. Remember, there is nothing soft and fluffy about workplace relationships. Strong and effective workplace relationships are strategic advantages! They allow you to thrive in your workplace, move through the content of your role and are fundamental to your success. Give some thought to these questions:
- Which are my most important workplace relationships?
- Which relationships are working for me and my role? Why?
- Which relationships effectively work through differences?
- Who can I genuinely give and receive feedback from?
- Who do I feel comfortable seeking help from?
- Which relationships are not effective? Why?
- How do we communicate?
- What assumptions do I make about the other person? Or them about me?
- Is this about us, our team, the organisation?
What can I do about it?
Late last year I received some positive feedback about supporting clients through a Relationship Audit which confirmed to me its importance in being successful at work. “Tony, as 2019 comes to an end I am amazed at the different place I am in now. When we met in March and you coached me through a Relationship Audit it was so clear that my relationship with X and Y was weak and hindering my success and my team’s success. I want you to know that X and I are now collaborating so strongly about an upcoming strategic change…. It’s hard to believe it’s the same relationship!”
There are many reasons why strong and effective workplace relationships are really important. We spend so much time at work and it’s hard when we don’t trust a colleague or we clash with those around us. It saps our energy, stops creativity, opportunities are missed, productivity is harmed as people start to focus on peripheral issues and you and your team’s focus and energy are diverted leading to a drop of morale (just to name a few). Of course, when there are productive workplace relationships, solutions are found, ‘stuff’ gets done and the atmosphere is alive! This does not mean everyone has to think or be the same, it’s about our ability to deal effectively with difference. Can we understand others, respect them and work productively together? Productive workplace relationships allow us to get the best out of each other! This is what the Relationship Audit is designed to help you work out.
Zandy and I thrive on supporting individuals and teams to work through these types of strategic planning issues. If you’d like some support working through an individual or team relationship audit or support to develop strategies for the changes you need to implement, please be in touch.
