Relationships are the glue that holds team members together – the stronger the relationships, the stronger the team. Relationships are the foundation upon which winning teams are built. Great team members take the time to connect, communicate, and build strong bonds with all their team members. You can be the smartest person on the program, but if you don’t connect with others you will fail as a team member.
Make relationships with others a priority.
The first and most important step in becoming good at relationship building is to start focusing on others rather than yourself. It’s a challenge to keep our ego in check. It’s something most of us struggle with because we have our own goals and desires. But if we monitor our ego, and put the team first we’ll make the team better. In return, this servant approach will make us better.
Find ways to add value to relationships.
Think about your team members. How can you add value and help them to develop? What can you give them without benefiting yourself? Don’t forget that the team is not about you. Great team players always put the team first. Adding value can be done in three easy steps:
- Share your talents.
- Learn from others what you don’t know.
- Ask as many questions as you can.
Get to know the person.
How well do you know your team members? If you aren’t sure about the team members’ hopes, desires, and goals, then you need to ask them. What do they dream about? What does Winning Smart look like to them? What do they like to do for fun? What are their biggest stressors? Get to know who they really are by asking the right questions and listening carefully to their answers.
Find new ways to connect.
Time together while working as a team is essential, but so is spending time together outside of work. With social distancing, this can be difficult. Rather than focus on what you can’t do, focus on what you can. Set up a Zoom Happy Hour. Organize a team walk either virtually or together in a park. Join an online group that has a shared interest. Work to make connections with teammates. Do things socially. Find ways to share your lives.
Celebrate diversity and build common ground.
RDI is a melting pot of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Rather than focusing on our differences as things that separate us, celebrate that diversity as one of the magical parts of our culture that brings us together. That is where inclusion comes in. Build common ground. You will never develop common ground with your team members unless you share common experiences. That is what builds and strengthens relationships.
#LeaveItBetter
Bronson Trebbi
CEO
To learn more about RDI, contact us!