Trusted Business Relationships

Relationships – A Key to Success

 

Too many small business owners think they can do it all themselves.  It happens every day, they take training in accounting, marketing and the list goes on and on, mostly technical and/or product training.  They believe that their success will come from doing or having, which I believe is a very dangerous assumption.  I learned, later than I should have, that how you do things and those relationships with others is often more important than what we do, especially as leaders.  Success starts with relationships, customers, suppliers, employees and again the list goes on and on.  You can’t do it yourself, and besides it’s so much more fun realizing your goals with others!!

 

How are you improving your relationships?  What tools are you adding to your tool box to build existing relationships and create long lasting new ones?  What you say, how you act and your enthusiasm all play a role in building those relationships.  Remember, it’s not about you.  As Dale Carnegie so keenly put it, “You will make more friends in 2 months by being genuinely interested in others than you can in 2 years by trying to get people interested in you.”

The diagram above clearly illustrates the value of relationships and what it takes to become a leader.  Before you can be a leader and even have influence, you must build trust and rapport to enhance those relationships.  An example of this is getting to know your people, I mean really get to know them, what are their aspirations and dreams, what drives them, what keeps them up at night, why are they in the job they are etc.  Employees will not follow your lead if they don’t think you care about them.  Only when they feel heard, feel like part of the team and know how their job fits in to the big picture will they follow you.  One aspect to change is asking questions instead of giving orders.  Sounds simple enough, you don’t know how many times I’ve heard leaders from organizations say they started doing this after taking the Dale Carnegie course.  The difference in engagement, morale and the flow of ideas is staggering.  Give it a try, see for yourself how things change.

Once you’ve built that trust and rapport you can move to gaining willing cooperation and having influence.  Are you in a position where you need to get things done and you need to accomplish this through others that don’t report to you?  I’ve heard many managers say this, they have no influence, I call them managers because they’re not leaders.  Being a leader is about gaining cooperation and having influence, it’s not a title.  Anyone can lead from any position.

Leaders help others get what they want, if you take the fundamental approach that your job as a leader is get those you lead what they want, you truly are a leader that people will follow.

Dale Carnegie’s human relations principles are the backbone to his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, recently named in the top 7 best business books of all time!!!

Download Dale Carnegie’s Secret to Success - http://bc.dale-carnegie.ca/secrets_of_success/