It’s not how clever you are, it’s not your background, it’s not whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s not your height, it’s not your age! It’s the power of personal connections that underpins business success today.

A staggering 97% of professionals believe it’s who you know, rather than what you know, that’s important.Business today relies more on people skills than on qualifications and experience. No matter how brilliant you are at your job, if you want to get ahead, you need great connections.

 

Working away for hours on end at your desk is no longer enough – get out and get connected! Those who tackle this area and get it right have the opportunity to influence positively the growth and profitability of their business and enhance their career. Achieving goals is far easier with (to quote The Beatles) ‘with a little help from my friends’.

Do People Mean Business?

In a word, Yes! There are two main reasons why you should harness the power of personal connections:

• Your company will be more successful. It will stand out ahead of its competitors.

 

• You will progress further and faster along your career path than someone who doesn’t.

 

Making yourself known to the right people is more important now than in the past. Why? Because there aren’t so many jobs for life. Workers switch roles and careers far more frequently than they used to. There are an increasing number of entrepreneurs and consultants. For anyone setting up a business and for the self-employed good contacts are essential, particularly when attempting to build or increase your client base.

If you’ve tried blowing your own trumpet try asking another person for help. You’ll be amazed how much louder it sounds coming from someone else! Today, for all those wishing to reach great heights, brilliant business connections are essential and by far the best way forward.

Developing successful relationships at work needs effort in two ways:

• internally, within the organisation or profession

 

• externally, among clients, work providers, suppliers.

 

In both cases, it helps to be confident and have extrovert characteristics. Some people are natural born ‘networkers’ and have loads of charisma. For others, those skills need to be acquired. It’s not difficult if you use some tried and tested methods.

Be Flexible!

Remember that the same approach is not right for each contact, much less for each occasion. Finding the appropriate way to further the business relationship-building process is the answer. And this means each day, for each person, meeting by meeting.

So How Do You Go About Making The Right Connections For Yourself And Your Company?

Building effective relationships in the workplace is the key skill for professional success in the 21st century. It’s true that the most successful people and organisations are also the best connected. By developing and nurturing a strong network of personal contacts, you too can be more effective in business and in your career progression.

Reasons Why It Works

• Managers with great contacts get promoted faster.

 

• With good relationships in the workplace, you are more likely to be successful when taking charge of new situations.

 

• Having strong personal networks means higher job satisfaction.

 

• Problems can be solved faster, before they become crises.

 

Remember – it’s reciprocal. If you help others, they will help you in return.

Is It Risky?

Only if you don’t do it. You may be a bit apprehensive about moving outside your comfort zone. This sounds far worse than it is. Developing relationships at work is about rapport-building – the intelligent approach to business and career development.

If you’re someone who is naturally people-aware, then you probably make connections easily and quickly. Contacts and friends are plentiful and meeting new people is no great ordeal. If you are shy or reticent, don’t worry. These skills can be acquired and, with a little practice, they’ll become second nature.