Healthy, stable organizations begin with the right kind of relationships, at every level in the corporate hierarchy. The more closely and seamlessly individuals can connect, the easier knowledge sharing becomes and the more engaged employees will be. But encouraging connection in the workplace isn’t as simple as organizing monthly happy hours.
The key to a high-functioning, successful business of any size is the relationships among the company’s stakeholders. Employers and employees, executives and junior-level staff—the way individuals connect and communicate up and down the hierarchy and across departments directly impacts the flow of information within an organization. And the better the information flows, the more efficiently the whole company runs.
At every organizational level there are certain specific behaviors individuals should focus on if they’re to not only succeed personally but also create success within and for their teams. As people move up the hierarchy particular skills become more important, especially as their relationships to their colleagues change.
For example, employers and senior executives must learn the importance of empathy. As they begin to accumulate more direct reports, execs find themselves dealing not only with the professional development of their team members, but also the personal issues every individual brings to the office. Leaders who make it a top priority to actively listen to and understand their subordinates professional goals and personal concerns (including symptoms of overwork) not only create higher-functioning teams, but also end up looking a lot better in the eyes of their own bosses.
For team members dealing with supervisors, the key behavior to work on is one most don’t even register. And as for peer-to-peer relationships, the most important behaviors are developed outside the office. To learn more the social skills needed at each level of the corporate ladder and how relationships affect the health of your organization, download our latest whitepaper, “3 ways to foster productive relationships in the office.”
