Articles

An introduction to effective relationship management

Our inner dialogue has an outer impact. By taking it in hand, and developing an inner locus, we can chart our relationship landscape with confidence. By directing our own mindset and championing our competencies, we grow in confidence. We can be authentic, acknowledging our strengths and flaws. Diamonds have brilliant facets and unique flaws. By recognising our diamond nature, we grow in clarity.

The intrapersonal and interpersonal are unequivocally linked. If we are critical or upbeat about ourselves, we are more likely to be critical or upbeat with others. It’s either a poison that taints everything or a ripple effect for constant improvement. Orienteering from the internal to the external and understanding that everything is related, is how we navigate our relationship map.

In a group, there is a dynamic, created by the existing culture and the influential players. Every person who joins or leaves the group changes the dynamic. How you show up is important. Clear communication is key to setting the ground rules for how people engage with you. Defining who you are within the group context is how you contribute to the creation of the culture.

In a world mediated by social technology, we know lots of people, but what kind of relationship do we have with them? How do we qualify the value of those relationships? Collective intelligence has a social foundation, the healthier your relationships, the stronger your group will be collectively. We deal with people every day of our lives. People interaction forms part of what we do every day. We can either be communicating with the same people every day or meet new ones. Forming relationships with the people we meet and deal with is an integral part of personal success and achievement of goals. Simple as it may sound, it is not easy building good and long-lasting relationships. In fact, it is a skill to know how to create and manage good relationships with people. There are those who excel in such ability, making it their outstanding personal quality.

Leaders and successful businessmen are two obvious examples of those who possess this ability and manifest it with such expertise. How do these people manage to be good at what they do? How do they manage to keep the ties with those they work with both inside and outside the organisation? Let’s explore this further in the next blog.