Strong relationships are essential to business and professional success. Whether it's your boss, colleagues, mentors, clients or clients, or others in your professional network, it's important to actively nurture and build these relationships because they can see you through all the stages of success. .
One of the challenges of building relationships in the age of social media is that our digital connections can feel superficial. To overcome this, we must aim to establish and cultivate deep and truly meaningful relationships with the people in our lives.
Related: How to Build Great Relationships
To find out how, we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members, “What is an essential trait of strong, meaningful relationships?” Here's what they recommend:
1. Empathy
Understanding where the other person in the relationship is coming from and how they are feeling is important for any strong relationship. You can't fix everyone's problems or try to change them. It is therefore important to listen and be there for them.
– Chris Christoff , MonsterInsights
2. Vulnerability
The most essential trait of a strong and meaningful relationship is vulnerability. Vulnerability-based relationships are positive, nonjudgmental, and improvement-oriented. Trust, communication, love, and other important characteristics of relationships come from vulnerability.
– Vladimir Gendelman , Business Records
3. Respect
If you don't respect your friends or customers, you probably won't give those people your all when it counts. You only get what you give and to be respected you must also demonstrate it to others. This is true in building rapport with customers, as much as in maintaining an intimate relationship.
– Kristopher Brian Jones , LSEO.com
4. Real Time
Online communication tools like FaceTime and Skype allow us to see and talk to anyone on the other side of the world instantly. However, the relationships I find the strongest are the ones where we see each other in person. Because it takes more work to meet in the offline world, it signals the person that they are important.
—Nanxi Liu, Enplug
5. A give-first mentality
One of the hallmarks of strong business relationships is providing something of value before you ask for something. Far too often these days, people just want others to give and give without offering anything in return. It will not build a meaningful relationship. Plus, when you're the first to offer something of value, you're much more likely to have your request for help granted.
– Andrew Schrage , Money Crashers Personal Finance
6. Unique Perspective
The strongest, most meaningful relationships I have in my life offer a unique perspective. Through our long history together, these people provide context for my actions and motivations. They can help me understand how I've changed, how I haven't changed, and what's really important in my life. I don't know where I would be without these extremely valuable insights.
– Bryce Welker , CPA Exam Guy
7. Intention
We have all met that person who is eager to understand you, no matter how much you explain yourself. And then there is the other person who will understand you without you having to say a word; it is because they know your intention is good. Strong, meaningful relationships start with a good intention.
– Syed Balkhi , WPBeginner
8. Hard work
Strong relationships don't last. They require a commitment from both people to make an effort and set aside time for dialogue. This applies to both business and personal relationships. Lasting business relationships are built through active engagement and a commitment to go the extra mile.
– Vik Patel , Future Hosting
9. Honesty
Your first instinct or impression is usually right, and the cornerstone of a meaningful relationship is always honesty. Never be afraid to tell your team or colleagues your honest opinion. Too often, companies slip into a culture of gossip and bogus smiles. Clear communication based on honesty is essential.
– Ryan Bradley Koester and Bradley
10. Challenge
In business in particular, you need to have relationships with people who are difficult, not in the way they push back against everything you say, but in the way they challenge you to think differently and challenge you. to try new things. It can inspire healthy competition, and it will keep you on your toes and always striving to be better.
—Blair Williams, MemberPress
11. Value
When developing business relationships, you must lead with value. "How can I add value to you and your business?" When you ask this question and commit to it before asking anything for yourself, you are demonstrating, through action, that you are more concerned with building a strong relationship than getting someone out of it. by yourself. Leading with this mindset can take you a long way.
– Connor Gillivan , FreeeUp
12. Conscientious
It is important to be conscientious and know which page the relationship is on. We usually have a bank account of credits between us, and we deposit and withdraw these credits. How present are you with your partner's feelings? Be aware of the tension between you and have honest and open communications about it.
– Cody McLain , SupportNinja
13. Friendship
All relationships require vulnerability, attention, and nurturing, but a truly meaningful relationship is built on a solid foundation of friendship. Starting your relationship with a client, peer, or even people in your personal life with these building blocks in advance will set you up for a long-term, trusting connection.
– Stanley Meytin , True Film Production
Related: 4 Important Truths of Lasting Relationships
These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitational organization of the world's most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co .
