According to Gallup, employees who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged at work. However, it does not have to be a “best friend”. Gallup discovered that employees who have a good friend at work are much happier. Additionally, positive work connections are associated with higher customer engagement and profit. 

You’ll learn why it’s critical to have positive working connections, how to create and keep them, and even how to work with individuals you don’t get along with in this article. Or you can sign up for courses that give better understanding of mindful exercises. 

Why is it Important to Have a Positive Working Relationship?

Human beings are sociable creatures by nature. And given that we spend one third of our lives at work, it’s obvious that having positive relationships with our coworkers makes our employment or work life more enjoyable. The more at ease coworkers are with one another, the more secure and confident they’ll feel when it comes to expressing opinions, brainstorming and embracing new ideas. This kind of collaboration is critical for embracing change, creating and innovating ideas. And when workers experience the benefits of collaborative work, group morale and productivity also arises. All these come under the category of mindful exercises. 

Additionally, positive professional relationships provide individuals with independence. Rather than wasting time and energy on unfavorable connections, they can focus on opportunities, from new businesses to personal development. Furthermore, having a strong professional network also assists individuals in developing their career and unlocking doors that might otherwise be closed. 

How to Define a Good Relationship?

Trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion and open communication are all necessary components of a healthy professional relationship. Let’s examine each trait in a greater detail.

More Trust

When individuals have trust in their teammates, they can be candid and transparent in their thoughts and actions. Additionally, they are not required to spend time or energy “watching your back”. 

Respect: 

Teams that work cooperatively recognize one another’s contributions and develop solutions based on joint insights, wisdom and creativity. Respecting others is the basis of mindful exercises. 

Self-awareness:

It entails accepting responsibility for the words a person utters and actions they perform. Also, refraining from allowing negative emotions to affect those around an individual. 

Inclusion:

Individuals must not only accept varied individuals or viewpoints; rather embrace them. For instance, when a colleague expresses contrary opinions, include their perspectives and insights into the decision making process. It ll allow them to feel valued. 

All successful relationships are built on open, honest communication. When individuals interact via email or instant messaging, or in person, the more the person communicates successfully, the more effectively they’ll connect. 

Which Professional Work Relationships are Critical?

While an individual should strive to develop and maintain positive working connections with everyone, certain individuals demand additional attention. As is the case with a boss and an employee. According to Gallup, a manager can account for up to 70% of a team’s engagement level. Regular one-on-one meetings enable managers to develop relationships with them personally. During these catch-up sessions, they can demonstrate how an individual’s work fits into the organization’s “bigger picture”, gain an understanding of their capabilities, and assist the team in identifying opportunities for growth. 

Additionally, individuals can investigate strategies to ascertain how their own boss prefers to operate. They can profit from establishing positive working relationships with essential stakeholders. These are the individuals that have invested interest in the success and failure of an individual, such as clients, suppliers and members of the staff. Establishing a relationship with them will assist individuals in identifying where and how to focus. This is why it is one of the fundamentals of mindful exercises. 

Mindful Exercises for Positive Work Relationships

Just like your oldest friend, developing close relations with people takes time. However, there are things that individuals can opt for to immediately improve their relationships with their colleagues. 

Determine your Relationship Requirements 

Are you aware of what you require from others? And are you aware of what they require of you? Understanding these needs and sticking to it can aid in the development of stronger connections. 

Enhance your Interpersonal Skills 

Effective partnerships begin with effective people skills. Individuals can opt for quizzes to determine their capacity for collaboration, communication and conflict resolution. 

Concentrate on Developing EI

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the capacity to perceive and comprehend one’s own emotions. By honing your EI, you can improve your ability to identify and manage the emotions and needs of others. 

Exercise Conscious Listening

Individuals respond more positively to individuals who genuinely listen to what they have to say. By engaging in careful listening, individuals may speak less and comprehend more. And they ll quickly establish a reputation for trustworthiness. Consciously listening is a tentative step towards mindful exercise. 

Schedule Relationship-Building Time 

If feasible, invite a coworker to join you for a quick cup of coffee. Alternatively, show a “one-minute act of kindness” by leaving a comment on a coworker’s article that you must have enjoyed reading. These brief interactions are time-consuming but they create the framework for developing solid relationships. 

Maintain Boundary 

Take out time, but not excessively. A professional connection can occasionally hamper productivity, particularly when a friend or colleague begins to occupy your time. It’s critical to establish boundaries and regulate your time spent on social acts at work. 

Consider Others 

Another form of mindful exercise is to consider the feelings of others. Everyone, from your supervisor to your intern, wants to feel acknowledged for their work. Therefore, when someone does something well, really compliment them. Praise and acknowledgment pave the way for successful professional relationships. 

Be Optimistic

Maintain an optimistic attitude. Positivity is contagious, and people gravitate towards those that indi[pire them. 

Abstain from Gossiping 

Office politics and gossip can devastate work life. If you are having a disagreement with someone in your group, speak with them directly about it. Gleaning information from other employees will only compound the problem, increasing suspicion and hatred.

Key Points

Establishing and maintaining positive working connections can increase an individual’s commitment to their work, advance their career prospects, and elevate the ranks of the entire team. Developing positive working relationships with coworkers, management, customers and other stakeholders by implementing the above mentioned mindful exercises. Certain work connections may be more challenging than others. However, with sufficient thinking, time and effort, these can also become mutually beneficial. 

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