Utilize the Relationships You've Built
Jul 31, 2020
A good friend called me with a question, “A friend and former colleague is recommending for a job at his company. Should I apply for it?”
Before I had a chance to say, “Of course you should. Why wouldn’t you?” she launched into her pro/con list. The answer still seemed obvious to me, but she remained on the fence.
“Why wouldn’t you trust a friend’s recommendation?” I finally asked. “What’s the point of building relationships if you’re not going to trust them or allow them to be beneficial?”
My friend joked about her naturally distrusting personality, but the point remains.
If you are going to take the time to build relationships (and you should) you should also be willing to use them.
That means...
Asking for help when you need it.
Seeking honest feedback from mentors.
Brainstorming with colleagues.
Following the advice of a trusted friend.
Staying on the radar of an advocate.
And when it comes to building those relationships - it all starts with your conversation skills. Make a plan that includes who you want to talk to, what you want to talk about and the follow up conversation strategy you'll use to build the relationship.
If you need a place to start I recommend sports. The sports seasons provide built in follow up opportunities all year long. You don't have to watch hours of sports a day to be considered a sports fan. All it takes is five minutes or so to brush up on headlines and I've got you covered every Monday with Sports Conversation Starters for your Workweek. Sign up to get those conversation starters delivered to your inbox and learn more about me here.
