Success Thought of the Day – 10/1/18: Invest in Relationships

You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. – Plato

Invest in Relationships

A significant consideration for all of us is in how we invest in relationships.  I would go a step further to say it is doubly important for those who lead teams.  Having the privilege of managing teams for more than twenty years I appreciate that the challenges faced together on a daily basis can serve to build relationships.  However, I have found that the time you plan away from the work, in shared activities that you enjoy together, truly creates more depth in those relationships … and that matters.

Why does depth matter?

Depth matters because it helps establish trust.  The better I know you, your strengths, qualities, habits, triggers, etc., the more I can appropriately interact with and rely on you.  For sure, we can and should leverage tools such as Myers Briggs, DISC, PRINT and other personality / behavioral tests.  However, if my genuine interest is to get the very best out of you – – for you and the team – – then nothing can replace spending time with and listening to you (Fran Tarkenton talks quite a bit about this during our conversation), as that is how I get closer to understanding the authentic you.

What is shared activity?

It can range from traditional team-building exercises offsite to much simpler things.  I recall during my time at JPMorgan Chase in New York City, taking my team to Chelsea Pier for coordinated team building exercises that included such things as rock climbing, trust walks and more.  However, I have also done simpler things that I found just as valuable such as afternoon BBQ, team bowling night and the list goes on.  The most important factor is doing something together that allows people to get to know each other without shop talk.

Invest in relationships, lead your teams.

Have a great day!
James

#relationshipdepth #investinrelationships