5 Ways to Strengthen and Cultivate Work Relationships

Creating partnerships is a cornerstone of achieving success in the business world that will serve you well throughout your career.

Creating strong business connections can be easier said than done if you don't cultivate and nurture the relationship. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to build strong business relationships that last.

In today's fast-paced business world, it is not always easy to keep in touch with business contacts. It is important to make time, though. For a business relationship to remain strong it needs to be cultivated and nourished. Schedule lunch appointments to meet with your business connections so you can earn some face time. Other ways to stay connected include attending social business mixers, sending an email just to catch up, or giving them a call to congratulate them on a promotion.

Never underestimate the power of LinkedIn. This powerful social networking site for professionals allows business colleagues to stay connected in a big way by highlighting skill sets, promotions, and even potential career opportunities as well. Staying connecting is vital if you want to maintain and grow your professional relationship.

Another important part of a successful business relationship is collaboration. Every professional has their own unique skill set, and your business colleague may be able to do something you struggle at. Collaborating allows you and your business partner to enhance your own personal knowledge, and helps you achieve success as a team.

Working independently is great, but collaborating could yield higher results. A great example of this is when working on a large multifaceted project. Projects that have a broad scope often require multiple professionals to be hands-on. Collaboration works well when professionals trust each other's skills and qualifications and work toward a common goal.

The corporate business world is highly competitive and, at times, downright cutthroat. You have to work hard and make connections if you want to make it to the top of the corporate ladder. You cannot just expect to trample over your colleagues to get there, though. An important lesson in building positive and strong business relationships is to avoid competing with your business contacts.

The last thing you want is for friction to occur because you earned the promotion and your colleague did not. There may be an opportunity both you and a colleague are going after. If, by chance, you both are in the running for the same promotion, approach it with the attitude of "may the best person win." This way the heat and intensity of competition does not sully your positive business relationship.

Just like any another relationship, a strong business relationship needs to be supportive. Act as a mentor for your colleagues when they need guidance, support their career decisions, and ask how you can help. Your colleague should be willing to return the favor. A good professional partnership is not only powerful and long lasting, but highly supportive as well.

There comes a time in many professionals' careers where you hit a plateau and you're not quite sure what your next move should be. That is where a strong partnership can help you. Not only can a business partner help motivate you to continue to strive for success, but he can be a great source of advice or knowledge as well.

A strong business relationship with a colleague will help both you and your colleague move your careers down the right path. Keep in mind, your success could help motivate others as well. When you are unsure about your career path, seek out the advice of your business partner, and they can help motivate you toward your next career move.

Building strong business relationships can be an effective way to increase your chances of success in the business world. While many people believe networking is the key to success, it is only the first step. A strong business partnership provides a source of advice and guidance as your career progresses. A business partner has a vested interest in your success and will help push you further in achieving your goals.

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