One of the key secrets to success in life is having an excellent series of relationship with the people you work closely with on a daily basis, but striking up and maintaining such a positive relationship is easier said than done. Many modern workers are struggling to meaningfully connect with their colleagues, with many simply throwing in the towel and deciding that they’ll work alone rather than trying to forge lucrative and personal partnerships with those around them.
Giving up on positive work relationships is the wrong strategy and will only cost you dearly in the long-run. Here’s how you can build positive work relationships despite your shyness, and the hurdles you’ll encounter along the way.
It starts slowly
The first thing you need to understand about building positive workplace relationships is that it’s done slowly. You’ll need to make incremental progress as you go, striking up friendships with the people you work the most with early on and going from there. Being a socialite isn’t easy, but having a positive work relationship isn’t just about whether you and your coworkers or boss have similar tastes; oftentimes, it’s simply a matter of being kind and courteous to one another on a daily basis. Following commonplace office etiquette is a surefire way to start slowly when it comes to building work relationships and moving upwards from there.
Review the common office rules that you can’t afford to be ignorant of before trying to become anyone’s new best friend. Next, consider the many ways that you’re interacting with your coworkers on a daily basis and ask yourself how you can make a more positive impression. Hanging out with coworkers after working hours on a Friday night, for instance, is a great way to learn more about them while developing a bond that will ensure you work seamlessly together come next Monday.
The essence of building any sort of positive relationship is spending time with one another – if you’re not sharing experiences, you simply won’t be able to find common ground. It’s thus imperative that you become an active member of the office, going to company events and hanging out with coworkers even if you consider yourself to be a shy, introverted person. You don’t have to put yourself on display for the world all the time, but you will find it necessary to get out every now and then if you really want to maintain a positive relationship with most people.
Positive behavior like attending group events and actively contributing to the office’s social circle is essential to maintain any sort of positive workplace relationship. Becoming a more positive person can’t be done overnight, but anyone can make positive changes to their personality and behavior provided they’re actually dedicated to becoming a better person.
Perfecting your positive behavior
To really develop a strong relationship with someone, you need to perfect your positive behavior while getting rid of any negative habits you may have learned at a Manchester office space. Being nasty on social media, for instance, is a common way that many people turn their coworkers against them without even realizing it. Being pushy, assuming far too much familiarity, or blatantly posting things that are offensive (oftentimes without even realizing it) are common ways that many workers spoil their office relationships, largely to the detriment of their careers.
Beware of the many ways that social media can make you look bad, and take some time to hone your social media personality by familiarizing yourself with the people skills that are needed for success in the digital era. You shouldn’t just be thinking about the way you present yourself to the digital world, however, but should also be giving plenty of thought to how you interact with people in-person when you see them every day.
One of the best ways you can bolster your relationship with someone is by offering them great feedback when you’re talking with them face-to-face. Social conventions oftentimes lead us to be misleading when giving feedback; we don’t want to offend people, we may not want to smile at the wrong time, and we certainly don’t want to laugh when it’s inappropriate to do so. Learning how to give honest but sensible feedback is thus important if you want to help others without mocking them or inadvertently sending a negative message.
You should pour over some advice for giving better feedback to your colleagues if you’re struggling to maintain a positive workplace relationship, because an inability to help your coworkers succeed is likely holding you back from connecting with them. Giving feedback at work can be a daunting task, especially when your boss or a superior is the one asking for your advice, but it’s an essential part of success in the 21st century economy. By being honest, fair, and polite, you’ll soon be the talk of your office and enjoying fruitful, healthy relationships with your coworkers.