2021 was a rough year because of the COVID pandemic, and 2022 is off to a rough start, as a record number of people have caught the Omicron variant. Fortunately, hospitalizations and deaths have not soared because so many people are fully vaccinated and boosted. This is clearly a time of self-reflection for all of us as people, entrepreneurs, business leaders. We must come through and work together to survive these tough times, grow, and profit.

As we think about long-term ways to deal with the virus, we should think this way about how we act professionally. A key is relationships between you and the people you deal with. It’s not simple. Developing trusting relationships is a skill that that must be learned and improved upon. The problem is many of us work in a world of outcomes. We are judged by how much we do, how much we sell, how profitable our division is in a given month or quarter. We’ve been trained to be transactional in how we treat projects and people. However, if you only think of colleagues and outsiders as customers to meet a short-term goal we create relationships that are shallow. Developing relationships that are deep, where colleagues and clients are part of a bigger world, leads to better, long-term, lower-stress outcomes.

How does one act more relational? I wish I knew. I wish it were simple. Here are 3 ways to be more relational. Don’t expect to master these overnight, but you will see the positive outcomes happen for you as a person and in business.

1. RESPECT.  Like the song, spend some time to say hello and inquire respectfully of clients and colleagues, even outside the project. This nearly always pays you back in respect, more teamwork, better outcomes, and, yes, meeting goals, too.
2. Listen.  Strengthen your listening skills. Pay close attention to what your client or colleague says; don’t “hear” it through your lens. Understand his/her viewpoint, listen with empathy, and understand that the other person has needs, too, and may approach the same project from a different and a refreshing prospective, leading to new opportunities that are mutually beneficial in achieving goals.
3. Be Yourself.  Don’t role play, like being the “tough boss” or the “cool” leader. Don’t be something you’re not. Instead, be authentic. Care for others and include them in the team. Yes, “lay down the law”, if needed, for consistency, but also treat your colleagues and clients as you would like to be treated yourself.

You may not like some clients and colleagues personally, but treating all with respect, listening, and being yourself will lead to better long-term results, be less stressful for all, and make you feel happier in business, all so important. A good way to start 2022!

And for those of you who know me, if I don’t follow these actions, please let me know! CCES has the experts to help you solve your technical problems when it comes to energy and environment to maximize the benefits, avoid the pain, and disrupting operations as little as possible. Contact us with any questions. We want to team with you and help. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.