52.
Simple Tactics for
Superb Relationships
Any good psychologist will tell you that one of the deepest needs of a human being is the need to belong.
We are happiest when we feel connected to others – when we are part of a community. Top performers in
business make it a priority to build relationships with their teammates and their customers. Connecting with
the people who surround them is not seen as a ware of time; instead, it is an exquisitely wise use of their
time.
As a leadership development specialist, I work with our corporate clients to build cultures where
people and relationships come first. This promotes communication, collaboration and strong business
results. When people feel appreciated, they shine. Here are 10 deceptively simple ideas for building your
human connections that have helped employees of the companies that engage us for leadership coaching
get to a whole new level of high performance:
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Be the most positive person you know.
Be candid and speak truthfully.
Be on time.
Say please and thank you.
Under – promise and over – deliver.
Leave people better than you found them.
Be friendly and caring.
Be a world – class listener.
Become passionately interested in other people.
Smile a lot.
One of the deepest need of a human being
Is the need to belong.
Here’s a bonus point: Treat people with respect – always. I’ve discovered a very powerful law that
just may change the way you lead as well as the way you live: To get respect, give respect. I sometimes
share a story of a respected consultant who was engaged – at a great sum of money – to reveal his many
years of wisdom with the management team of a large organization. The consultant walked into the
meeting room and looked intensely at the group. He then reached for a maker and wrote four words on the
whiteboard behind him: “Treat people with respect.” He smiled at the executives. And then he left.