How to relate to each other at work?

Working relationships are the bonds that are created with colleagues, co-workers, suppliers, and customers. Although different from those with friends and family, working relationships are still important personal relationships.

Every profession, in fact, presupposes interaction with others, albeit to varying degrees. Every working relationship, however, is based on a personal relationship, which requires, among other things, cooperation between the actors involved in view of goals related to business productivity or professional partnership. Therefore, when the members of a working team have a good relationship with each other, the company also thrives. But when is a working relationship ‘good’? Certainly, positive relationships exist where respect, communication and honesty are present, and workplaces that foster these values are happier and more productive. Higher productivity, in turn, leads to better job satisfaction. Learning to relate at work, therefore, results in better personal and professional growth.

The most important working relationships are those established with colleagues and the boss. In order to build positive relationships, certain fundamental aspects must be taken into account. Starting with communication, which must be based on effectiveness, implying active listening, that is, listening with the heart, which makes the other person feel welcomed and understood. Consistency is also very important in relating to colleagues: for example, if you make a promise, you have to make sure you can keep it. Along with consistency, a working relationship must also assume maximum reliability, which translates into offering support and help when other team members need it. Being reliable is part of a broader attitude based on positivity: showing appreciation for the work of others and offering encouragement is a great way to improve team morale and mutual respect. Maintaining a positive attitude, especially in times of difficulty, can also help the whole team to stay motivated.

In a healthy relationship with colleagues, there should also be no room for gossip: if you have a problem with someone, you should address it with honesty, transparency, politeness and professionalism, firstly by confronting the people involved directly and, in the event of non-resolution, by asking for support from those in charge of that role.

Cultivating a correct relationship with one’s boss is also essential for personal and professional development. In order to achieve the objective of a healthy relationship between superior and subordinate, it is necessary for the former to have the tools to act as a real leader, mentor and support for his or her employees: for this to happen, the latter must feel free to express their needs, both during collective meetings and during individual interviews, so that the manager can devise the most effective strategies to help them grow. Also indispensable is a discussion with one’s boss about one’s competences: those one has, those one is honing and those one has yet to build. Only through honest and sincere communication can a manager concretely cultivate the employees’ professional aspirations and they can strengthen the boss’s leadership. Discussing competences also involves discussing the strategic goals of the company: setting clear and specific goals helps to give meaning to one’s work and to increase confidence in oneself and one’s abilities. Once the objectives have been defined, the manager must facilitate the sharing of information and the ways in which they are to be achieved, so that the relationship with his or her subordinates is one of continuous exchange and mutual support in an environment founded on mutual trust, the basis of any effective relationship.

It may happen in the course of one’s professional career that one is confronted with a difficult conversation with one’s boss. The good news is that these situations, if handled effectively, can be a valuable opportunity to strengthen the personal and professional relationship between the interlocutors. Proper handling of a difficult conversation starts with an awareness of what you want to achieve from the conversation: whether it is to clarify an issue, ask for a raise or seek agreement on something, it is important to understand the other person’s feelings. That is why active listening is a key aspect in such a conversation.

Like the relationship with colleagues and the boss, the relationship with customers must also be cultivated in a positive way if one wants to grow professionally and personally. Here again, establishing effective communication is indispensable: actively listening to customers, understanding their needs and promptly responding to their requests and concerns forms the basis of a solid relationship with them. It is also important to keep them effectively updated, ask for their feedback and generally make them feel valued, listened to and understood.

In dialogue with customers, clear and transparent language should be used to avoid misunderstandings on the one hand and to ensure that the message you want to send is effectively conveyed on the other. Paying attention to the tone of voice – also in writing – and body language is essential to establish positive and open communication with customers, who should also be encouraged to express their thoughts, ideas and expectations, so that they feel appreciated and respected.

In dealing with customers, consistency also plays a major role: delivering consistent results, meeting deadlines, responding promptly to requests increases reliability. Similarly, it is necessary to constantly demonstrate professionalism, integrity and commitment while improving one’s skills and knowledge to adapt to customers’ needs, which, one must never forget, are constantly evolving.

Personalisation is another indispensable requirement within the customer relationship, which is why it is necessary to take the time to understand their preferences and goals in order to adapt services to their different needs. Personalisation also translates into showing interest in one’s customers’ personal lives, hobbies and passions, in order to create a deeper and more lasting bond; at the same time, however, it is important to respect their privacy, so that the relationship remains not only healthy but also professional.

One of the essential elements in dealing with these issues is awareness of what one’s talents are and how to use them effectively. On many occasions, the path to awareness requires the support of a coach to increase the speed and effectiveness of the path itself.