Building business relationships are not the same as building a friendship.

There are certain expectations that should be met, and lines that should not be crossed. Today we will go over some tips you can use to build and improve your business relationships.

Respond to Emails and Texts Promptly

We all hate waiting for customer service, or even our friends for that matter, to respond to our messages. We like instant gratification. When you receive an email or message from your business colleague, its a general rule of thumb to respond to that message within an hour or two, especially if you receive the message during your shift. If you receive a message when you are out of work, then you should respond to that message at or around the time you begin your next shift. Responding on time shows you are professional and are reliable, which is important aspects of business relationships.

Disagree in a Respectful Manner in Your Business Relationships

Disagreements are going to happen in all business settings, whether with counterparts or in a team. When you disagree with someone, you need to keep it respectful. You should always point out what you have an issue with, and provide a reason as to why you don’t agree with whatever that person said or did. This allows for an open discussion where you and the other person can come to a compromise or a better way to accomplish whatever you are doing.

Try Not to “Over lead”

This tip is more for team leaders or executives. When you are the head of a group, its natural for you to delegate goals and roles. This is all fine, but once you start to tell people how to do things, this is where you begin to “over lead.” Humans like doing things their own way. Some people peel a potato with a peeling tool, while others use a knife, while others use their hands. At the end of the day, all 3 methods will lead to a peeled potato. Similarly, when you give your team members goals or deadlines, let them complete those goals there own way. As long as the reach those goals within the  given timeframe, you should be fine. This also gives your subordinates a sense of autonomy.

Business relationships are tricky to grow and maintain. Learning how to develop these relationships is a beneficial skill as it is something that you will use for the rest of your life.

To learn about how Cerius Interim Management can help you and for more information on interim executives, please visit our home page by clicking here.