Strong relationships create an engaged and productive workplace
Photo by James Baldwin on Unsplash
In the past few weeks I’ve had time to contemplate how I can achieve results while developing and enhancing professional relationships. Most of my career I’ve been very focussed on strategic and operational outcomes, leaving relationship building as a less intentional goal. The following quotation articulates what I’d like to incorporate in my work.
"...positive practices demonstrated the importance of team members discovering meaning in their work through mutual interaction that promotes trust, respect, and confidence, with employees believing the best in one another and inspiring one another in their performance”. Positive Practices in the Workplace: Impact on Team Climate, Work Engagement, and Task Performance Perry E. Geue, 2018
I recently took a serious fall from my bicycle, broke my leg, and lay on the road trying to figure out if and how I could get up. While struggling to understand what had happened, I realized that this wasn’t something I could fix on my own. Several "strangers" arrived to provide help, and help they did. They brought me water, blankets, stored my bike, took great care of me, and finally called the ambulance.
While in hospital before and after surgery I had a lot of time to think about how to recognize everyone who was providing me with such great care. I worked hard to learn the names of all those who were supporting me, and to recognize the quality of their work. In my short time at KGH I wanted to actively appreciate everyone who was helping me. After I returned home, many friends and family members brought food, books, flowers and stayed connected.
I thought about how I could learn from all that wonderful support that had been provided to me. How could I use similar action with colleagues and clients? How can I build trust, engagement, and productive working relationships?
I know my many colleagues are always willing to provide support. And while I don’t recommend breaking a bone to have a bright glimpse of the obvious (BGO), I am seeking to change my behaviour. In the month since the surgery, I’ve been figuring out how I can learn, and move from contemplation to action.
These actions include
asking for help,
taking help when it’s offered,
asking others if they need support,
using good questions and active listening to recognize and appreciate the contributions of colleagues,
expressing gratitude and saying thank you.
Strong and caring relationships are the foundation on which we can build and enhance healthy workplaces. Actively demonstrating trust, respect and confidence in those with whom we work is a vital element in an engaged and productive workplace.