How to cultivate trust, collaboration, and value with your internal and external partners
Introduction
Business relationships are foundational for an IT leader. A good relationship is one in which there is effective communication, collaboration, and ultimately a partnership that provides a benefit to you and the person(s) with whom you’re partnering.
Whether you are working with your colleagues, managers, direct reports or other staff, clients, vendors, or suppliers, it’s important to establish and maintain strong and positive connections that foster mutual trust, respect, and understanding.
In this blog post, let’s explore why business relationships are so important and how they can be built and nurtured with your internal and external partners. I’ve provided some tips and best practices for you to enhance your communication and collaboration skills.
Why Business Relationships Are Important
Business relationships are not only about exchanging information, products, or services. They are also about creating value, solving problems, and achieving goals together. I’m a big proponent and we speak internally about “winning together”.
Here are some benefits of strong business relationships:
They improve performance and productivity. Good rapport enables you to leverage each other's strengths, resources, and expertise. Good rapport also helps avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and delays that might hamper progress, quality of deliverables, and future outcomes.
They enhance your reputation and credibility. If you can build a good reputation with your partners, it is easier for you to build trust and loyalty, which are essential for long-term success.
How to Build Business Relationships
Building and maintaining business relationships takes a lot of work. It is a continuous process that requires constant attention, effort, and improvement.
Here are some key steps that you can take to build and nurture your business relationships:
Know your business partners and help your business partners get to know you.
Communicate effectively. Listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and provide constructive feedback.
Look for the “win/win”. It doesn’t always have to be getting something for nothing, a nice dinner or even a cup of coffee. Try and figure out how everyone can gain something and be successful through the relationship, even if It ultimately means you don’t have a chance to work on something together in the short-term.
Conclusion
Business relationships are vital for success. To build and nurture your business relationships, get to know your partners, communicate, and collaborate effectively, and find ways to win together. By following these steps, it will be easier to build trust, respect, and understanding with anyone with whom you work, and you should be able achieve your goals together.
By Howard Miller, CIO at UCLA Anderson School of Management
Comments