Do you want to improve your work relationships?
Well, of course, you do, because great work relationships
with your coworkers not only makes your job easier,
but more enjoyable too.
And positivity is contagious.
Strong relationships in the workplace
can increase your coworkers desire
to produce great work for or alongside you.
So taking the time to get to know
your coworkers and your managers can
make such a big difference in your professional career growth
How's it going, everybody?
I'm Sinead.
And coming up in this video, I'll
be sharing the five key steps to building strong connections
at work.
You'll definitely want to stick around until the very end,
because I've also got a bonus tip about a mistake you
definitely want to avoid that can completely
ruin all your efforts.
All right.
Let's get started by diving a bit deeper
into the benefits of positive relationships in the workplace.
And to be honest, it's actually quite simple.
Building strong relationships with your colleagues
allows you to work more effectively
and to grow as a professional.
All right.
Now let's think about your past experiences.
Have you ever made new friends after starting a new job
and how did that affect your work environment?
And on the contrary, have you ever
found work to be really difficult because
of a toxic work environment?
Work doesn't feel like work when you
have a great group of supportive team members
to help keep you going.
When you're working as part of a team instead of alone,
you feel like you're contributing to a bigger cause.
All right.
Now where do you start in building these relationships?
Step one, identify who you want to build a relationship with.
Let's face it, change can feel uncomfortable.
So whether you're new to the company
or you're a long time employee, it
can be easy to hang out with the same people.
And while it is so important to continue
deepening your current work relationships,
it's equally as important to broaden your network.
Now if you're not sure who you should reach out to at work,
consider talking to someone from another team whose
work directly impacts your own.
So for example, if you work in marketing,
consider the professional benefits
of cultivating a relationship with the legal analyst who
reviews your work.
They may actually be able to help
you better understand what to do if issues arise in the future.
All right.
Now let's say you work in the bakery at your local grocery
store.
Making friends with colleagues in the pharmacy
or the floral department can broaden
your understanding of how your company helps their customers.
Now this is truly a win-win for you.
Because not only are you making friends on the job,
but you're also educating yourself on the things
you may not have known about your company.
And it may even open your eyes to other opportunities
that could be better suited for your skill set.
So really it's like a win-win-win.
Again while maintaining your existing relationships
is essential, it's also important to take
advantage of any opportunities that expands your network.
You're in control here.
The power to build connections is in your hands every day.
Now before we get into step two, if you've watched this far,
be sure to this video, subscribe to our channel,
and of course hit that notification bell.
And then head down to the comments
and let us know any thoughts or questions
you have on work relationships.
And be sure to share your personal experiences.
Maybe the times that you felt really
cared about at work or the times that you didn't, and what
you learned from them.
Let us know all your thoughts down in the comments below.
All right.
Moving on to step number two.
Find the right time to connect.
Yes, timing is important, because think
about it this way.
If you're busy throughout your workday,
your colleagues and your managers probably are too.
So just remember to be considerate of their time
and their schedules.
Or get creative and consider other opportunities to connect,
such as having lunch together.
Have a sit down with the boss or colleague and chat over lunch,
really get to know them.
And if you're working remotely, don't even worry,
Zoom is not going anywhere anytime soon.
And virtual lunches are actually a great way to connect.
Fundraising or volunteering.
If you do get the chance to donate
your time with a coworker, this opportunity
could help you bond over shared experiences.
Suggest a team building activity.
This can be done in person or virtually
and it shows that you are really interested in getting
to know your team.
All really great opportunities to connect here.
Now let's say you and your coworkers are approaching
an important deadline now this is probably
not the best time to work on building strong relationships.
Another not so great time would be during a team meeting.
You wouldn't want to make a meeting
run longer than expected, causing
your coworkers to be late to whatever
meetings they may have next.
So just be mindful of others and their schedules
because being a respectful colleague
can also help you build relationships in the workplace.
Self-awareness is a great thing.
Next up, step three, ask specific questions.
A great way to start building relationships
is by asking questions that pertain exclusively
to the person that you're trying to get to know, without being,
you know, overly personal.
Talking hobbies or asking a coworker
how they got to where they are now
are both great conversation starters.
Here are a few more example questions.
How do does your role relate to mine and to others?
How do you prefer to work?
What is your preferred communication style?
What are some of your personal interests, your favorite books,
your favorite movies, or even things you like to do for fun?
And trust me, I totally get that asking these questions
can feel awkward.
After all, we are conditioned to work at work.
So dropping in with the, so tell me what you like to do,
may feel a bit cringe at first.
But strengthening your connections
with your team members and getting
to know them as people will help you to understand
their preferred work style and what
motivates their work, which honestly just makes
for an overall more efficient workplace.
Step four, actively listen.
Yes, there is a difference between hearing
and actively listening.
Active listening is done with deliberation.
So when your colleagues approach you, give them your focus,
make eye contact, and use interactive body language.
You'll find it easy to interact with your coworkers
when you are using your active listening skills, which
are the verbal and/or nonverbal techniques to show interest.
And instead of contemplating, oh no, what should I say next,
an active listener will focus on the words being said
and be able to respond accordingly.
Active listening is great for the workplace
because it helps you to build connections.
That's what this video is all about.
Build trust, relationships with trust are unbreakable.
Identify and understand problems,
increase your knowledge and understanding
and avoid missing critical information.
So basically, there's no better day than today
to brush up on those active listening skills.
Step five, remember what you talked about.
And another way to demonstrate those active listening skills
is by referring to conversations that you've already
had with your coworkers.
This shows others that you're not only
honestly invested in your relationship,
but that you truly care.
And take it one step further by keeping in touch
with present and past colleagues.
This not only improves your relationships
with your colleagues, but it allows
you to grow from them too.
Just make sure you're not only reaching out
when you need something, because that
will have the opposite effect and could seriously
hinder the relationships you've worked so hard to establish.
Now it's time for my bonus tip, ask for feedback
when the time is right.
Now feedback is not only crucial for professional development,
but it can also strengthen your work relationships.
Because asking for feedback shows
that you are committed to improving your skills,
thus broadening your contribution to the team.
Taking initiative to get better at a different task
or a project shows your colleagues
that you have the dedication and the drive to succeed.
But of course, there is a time and a place
to ask for feedback.
So consider the following steps.
Find an appropriate time to ask.
Aha, remember?
Timing really is everything.
Schedule the meeting.
Now a video call is totally OK if you're working from home,
like I am.
But it may be easier to have the conversation in person
if you're able to.
Prepare questions to ask such as,
what's something I did during this project that made
it difficult to work with me?
What's something I did that you would have done differently?
Here is what I try to accomplish.
How could I have approached this better?
How could I be a better partner to you?
Take notes.
Part of asking for feedback is then
being able to apply it, so write down what you need
to remember for the future.
Learn how to improve.
Stay objective, don't get defensive.
Feedback is for your professional growth.
Say thank you.
Always be appreciative of the time someone else
may dedicate to helping you learn from what you
could do better professionally.
And seven, ask for feedback regularly.
Get used to hearing things that you need to improve upon.
This could help make you a more cooperative and collaborative
colleague in the future.
And if someone asks you for feedback,
a great example response may be, you did an excellent job
presenting to the team today.
Your presentation was well-organized, comprehensive,
and I really appreciated that you saved time for the group
to ask questions at the end.
See?
Sounds great.
Now if you were to say something brief like, yeah, yeah,
you did a great job, you're not really
giving enough context to help your colleagues do better.
So take time to truly explain your why.
Be thoughtful, collaborative, and most importantly,
be a team player.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right.
Let's quickly review our steps for building relationships
at work.
Step one, identify who you want to build a relationship with.
Step two, find the right time to get to know them.
Step three, ask specific questions.
Step four, actively listen.
Step five, remember what you talked about.
And our bonus tip, ask for feedback
when the time is right.
If you're more ready than ever to apply these tips
for building strong relationships at work,
be sure to give this video a thumbs up.
And of course, subscribe to our channel right over here.
And hit that notification bell--
[BELL CHIMING]
--so that you never miss out on our weekly career advice.
And before you go, head down to the comments and let
us know what's worked for you in building and maintaining
strong, positive workplace relationships.
And we do have you covered right now with this playlist right
here.
[MOUSE CLICKING]
And to improve your workplace communication skills,
you got to check out this video--
[MOUSE CLICKING]
--right here.
I'm Sinead.
Thank you all so much for watching.
And I'll see you next time.