How can you build stronger work relationships?

Your first step to anything in life, including building strong relationships at work starts with you! Stop looking outside of yourself and start to embrace who you are, and what you have to offer.

How to build stronger work relationships

Step one: Make a list of all of your personal and work strengths

There will be many if you look across all facets of your life and previous work roles. These strengths can also be the less tangible ones we often think of, such as being a good listener or being great at organisation.

Once this is completed, reflect and absorb what you bring to the table at work, as a whole human being. We are all different and a team is made up of diversity when it is at its best, so revel in any differences you have from your work colleagues.

Finally, reflect on and write down any, and I mean any, work compliments you have had in the past. Take them in, and realise what you have to gift your work environment and colleagues.

Step two: Create an engagement habit with every work colleague you interact with

This includes keeping eye contactwhen someone is talking to you and specifically looking into the individual's left eye with your right eye. This is known to build trust as this is how a mother looks into a baby's eyes which is normally the first bond of trust we learn. Of course, this needs to come from a place of genuine openness and intention of support.

Next up, always check in like you would a friend, and ask the simple question, "How are you?", and here is the big one, listen, acknowledge, and give that person your full attention! Interrupting others can break trust and stop vulnerability which is where so much bonding is born, so avoid that unless completely necessary. 

The final part of the engagement habit is probably, in my opinion, the biggest one when used sincerely. Smile whilst greeting someone, whether you walk past or catch their eye. Smiling is contagious. Smiling releases the wonderful chemicals - serotonin, endorphins and dopamine. These are a trio of our feel-good neurotransmitters, so if you want to build a better relationship with a work colleague and for you both to feel good, how do you think it might play out if you start with a smile?

We get so caught up with words, yet 55% of our communication is body language.This includes smiling and how you hold yourself. Are you sitting or standing closed off or with open arms, and hands, fully facing the individual? When you become more open and vulnerable it will allow your work colleagues to do the same. 

Step three: Show genuine interest in your work colleagues' conversations

Show curiosity by asking open and probing questions; "That sounds exciting, what are you most looking forward to doing on the project?".

In summary, everything in life can be figured out if you break it down, starting with "What is going well?", and then look at small incremental actions or changes, whilst having a celebratory approach as you make every progressive step. When you do this you will soon be looking over your shoulder and seeing how far you have come!

Start step one today and reap the reward!