Saturday, January 27, 2018

Relationship-Based

No matter the professional field, when it comes to sustained success and sustaining one's position or status, a primary factor is how well one gets along with others. Relationships. That as much as anything is what generates the support and respect any of us need to advance. You might ask, "What about competency?" No question that is a key component. After all, one must be at least half-way decent at what they do in order to advance at the job or within an organization. Having said that, however, I personally have seen persons advance even though they are not particularly good at what they do.

Those folks move ahead because of who they know and because what abilities they do possess meet the needs of their organizational superiors. Their success is relationship-based. This also applies to those who are talented and well-connected. They, too, move upward based on their relationship with others. People either like them, respect them or both. Their success is also relationship-based only in a slightly different way. Looking at these two types of workers, what are the elements of communication they need to follow in order to gain and sustain the goodwill or support of those with whom they work?

Interestingly, the two need to follow the same play book: be respectful, treat those with whom they work and to whom they report as a high priority, and do not be shy about making known one's successes or achievements. Modesty may be an appealing quality, but it can be a liability if one wishes to advance. Personally, I admire those who do not blow their own horns. But I also recognize those who do tout themselves tend to be the ones who get the nod when promotion opportunities come along. Bottom-line: to some degree we must all be our own public relations manager. We all exist in relationship worlds.


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