Better Business Relationships – the difference that makes the difference!

The more success clients and workshop delegates have at building business relationships, reveals to me that they have one thing in common.

They don’t differentiate between business and non business relationships. They see themselves as people dealing with people. They are generally comfortable in the ‘own skins’ and project an air of confidence. In the name of improving business efficiency many processes that originally depended on the human interface (the friendly bank manager for example) became computerised and as a consequence worked better. This lead to the idea that efficient organisations should be based on 70% process and 30% people.

The bottom line remains that “people do business with people”, so maybe we should be thinking of 70% people and 30% processes instead!

People prefer to do business with those they know like and trust.

So how do you put yourself in that position?

• Be yourself – you are unique, although a little self coaching might help.

• Just as in the development of a personal relationship, the development of a business relationship requires mutual respect. And of course respect has to be earned. It takes time, so don’t rush the fences.

• If you met a perfect stranger in a bar, you wouldn’t (normally!!) ask them for their telephone number on meeting. However as your discussion progressed, it could well lead to the exchange of numbers

• Establishing early rapport will help, but having done that, openness and honesty will demonstrate that you are a real person with both strengths and weaknesses. It will also show that you operate with a high degree of integrity.However, do make sure that your body language is transmitting the same message!

• Show genuine interest in them and their business. Keep your own problems to yourself and ‘leave your ego at the door’.

• Be conscious of any cultural differences. These may be differences in country, company or even team cultures.

• When it comes to promises; to show trust and reliability ‘say what you mean’ and ‘mean what you say’. Don’t promise something for Thursday and deliver on Friday. It’s much better to promise for Monday and deliver Friday!

• There’s what I consider to be an outdated premise that ‘knowledge is power’. If I tell you what I know, I’m sharing my knowledge and therefore diluting my power. The more confident you are the less likely you are to subscribe to this idea.

• I personally believe that there’s so much more to be gained from collaboration and knowledge sharing. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be inviting you to help yourself to my free downloads!

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