It’s likely that at least 50% of the people on your team are unhappy with their jobs. 65% would like a new boss.**
Leaders don’t like the people they lead, either. Have you heard leaders complaining about colleagues, superiors, or employees? Who hasn’t?
People don’t leave organizations, they leave people.
Dislike:
We don’t like each other because we don’t trust each other.
- She throws people under the bus.
- He plays politics and kisses butt.
- They’re in a clique.
5 ways to build strong relationships at work:
- Lower expectations. You don’t have to be best buddies with colleagues to like them. You connect with some and not with others. Don’t fight it.
- Elevate transparency.
- Tell less – Ask more. When was the last time you asked about where they want to go with their career or project?
- Show respect. Stop judging others by your strengths. Respect them for theirs.
- Build positive environments. Don’t begin with, “I’m not happy with our relationship.” Go for a walk and ask, “How might we create an environment where people love to come to work?”
- Describe, illustrate, and commit to the same high impact behaviors.
- Make it normal and nonthreatening to talk about performance. The annual performance review is a colossal waste of time, if it isn’t backed up with daily performance conversations.
- What’s working? What makes that important?
- What can we make better, today? How?
- What’s your team doing that makes you proud?
- Choose to care. We like people who care for us. We don’t like people who don’t like us. It’s a choice to seek another’s best interests.
- Fixate on strengths more than weaknesses. It’s difficult to like someone when all you think about are their weaknesses.
How might leaders build strong work relationships, today?
**Job Satisfaction: 2014 Edition