The 13 Key Traits of Strong Professional Relationships

The 13 Key Traits of Strong Professional Relationships The 13 Key Traits of Strong Professional Relationships Article by YECStrong relationships are essential to business and career success. It is important to actively nurture relationships with your boss, colleagues, mentors, clients, customers, and others in your professional network, as they can see you through allmanner of obstacles and all stages of success.However, relationship-building can be a challengein the social media era. Our digital connectionsoften feel superficial. To overcome this, we should aim to establish and cultivate deep and truly meaningful relationships with the people in our lives.For advice on this subject,we asked a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members, What is one essential trait of a strong and meaningful professional relationship?Here is what they had to say1. EmpathyUnderstanding where the other partie in the relationship is coming from and what they are feeling is important to any strong rela tionship. You cant fix everyones problems or try to change them, so instead, its important to just listen and be there for them. -Chris Christoff,MonsterInsights2. VulnerabilityThe fruchtwein essential trait of a strong and meaningful relationship is vulnerability. Relationships based on vulnerability are positive, judgment-free, and improvement-oriented. Trust, communication, love, and other important relationship characteristics come from vulnerability. -Vladimir Gendelman,Company Folders3. RespectIf you do not respect your friends or your clients, you most likely wont give those people your all when it counts. You only get what you give, and in order to receive respect, you need tofirst showit to others. -Kristopher Brian Jones, LSEO.com4. Real Face TimeOnline communication tools like FaceTime and Skype enable us to see and talk to anyone, no matter where they are in the world. However, the relationships I find to be strongest are ones where we see each other in person. It takes more work to meet in the offline world, which signals to the other person that they are truly important to you. -Nanxi Liu, Enplug5. A Giving-First MentalityOne of the tenets of strong business relationships is that you should provide something of value before asking for something in return. Far too often these days, folks want others to give and give without offering anything in return. This will not build a meaningful relationship. Plus, when youre the first to offer up something of value, youre much more likely to have your request fulfilled. -Andrew Schrage,Money Crashers Personal Finance6. Unique PerspectiveThe strongest and most meaningful relationships I have in my life offer unique perspectives. Thanks to our long histories together, these individuals know the context for my actions and motivations. They can help me understand how Ive changed, how I havent changed, and what is really important in my life. I dont know where Id be without these extremely valuable points of vie w. -Bryce Welker, CPA Exam Guy7. IntentWeve all met that person who is eager to misunderstand you no matter how much you explain yourself. Weve also met the other person, the person who will understand you without you having to say a word this is because they know your intent is good. Strong and meaningful relationships start with good intent. -Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner8. Hard WorkStrong relationships dont maintain themselves. They require commitments by both people to making the effort and taking time to engage with one another. This is as true of business relationships as it is of personal relationships. Lasting business relationships are built through active engagement and a commitment to going the extra mile. -Vik Patel, Future Hosting9. HonestyHonesty is the cornerstone of a meaningful relationship. Never be afraid to tell your team or coworkers your honest opinion. Too often, businesses slip into cultures of gossip and phony smiles. Clear communication built on a foundation of h onesty is essential. -Ryan Bradley, Koester Bradley10. ChallengeIn business especially, you need to have relationships with peoplewhoare challenging. I dont mean people who push back on everything you say, but people who challenge you to think differently and try new things. This can inspire healthy competition, keep you on your toes, andmotivate you to always strive to be better. Blair Williams, MemberPress11. ValueWhen developing relationships in business, 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 for anything for yourself, youdemonstratethat you are more concerned with building a strong relationship than getting something out of it for yourself. Leading with this mentality can take you far. -Connor Gillivan, FreeeUp12. ConscientiousnessIt is important to be conscientious and know what page the relationship is on. In our relationships, we all have a bank account between each other, and we dep osit and withdraw credits from those accounts. How present are you when it comes to the other personsfeelings? What are you depositing into their account, and what are you withdrawing? Be aware of any belastung between yourselves, and have honest and open communications aboutit when it arises. -Cody McLain, SupportNinja13. FriendshipAll relationships require vulnerability, attention, and care, but a genuinely meaningful one is built on a solid foundation of friendship. Beginning your relationship with a client, a peer, orsomeone in your personal life with these building blocks will set you up for a trusting and long-term connection. -Stanley Meytin, True Film ProductionA version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds 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.

Protect Yourself From Bullying in the Workplace

Protect Yourself From Bullying in the WorkplaceProtect Yourself From Bullying in the WorkplaceBullying can take many forms, but its generally considered to be any behavior that is unwelcome, offensive, unsolicited, or objectionable. It can be physical, psychological, or verbal. Although its commonly associated with the playground and sometimes with the Internet among older youths, it can happen in the workplace as well. It typically manifests in some specific ways, and there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Threats to Personal Standing Common forms of workplace bullying can take the form of rolleal attacks that seem to have little to do with your job or the workplace environment. It can involve spreadingrumors about someone, or hurtful gossip or innuendo about a coworker. It can include yelling, name-calling, mocking, insulting, or ridicule In face-to-face confrontations. The abuse can become physical when it involves unwanted contact or gestures intended to intimidate or threaten an individual. It can also involve offensive photos or objects that might be placed on the victims desk, in his locker, or anywhere else where hes likely to come across it. What to Do? Start by Stand Your Ground First, know that the bully will fruchtwein likely continue with her behavior as long as she knows she can do so without reprisal. It might be difficult, particularly if youre not the assertive type, but you have to draw a line in the sand. Let her know clearly that you dont appreciate what shes doing and youre not going to tolerate it. This might not stop her, but it could. Youre not easy prey anymore. Do it every time she approaches you in a negative manner. You might also throw in a threat of your own If she doesnt stop, youll report her behavior to your supervisor. Document the Behavior You dont want the situation to turn into a he-said-she-said scenario if you do report your bullys behavior, so take care to document his every action. What time did it occur? When did it occur? Who was nearby and might have seen or heard the incident? Keep a journal or a log so you have documented proof. Take the Matter to Your Supervisor You can take the matter to your supervisor if youre being tormented by a co-worker, but this might make the situation worse if your supervisor reprimands or otherwise imposes some type of punishment against the instigator. Theres also the risk that the bully is just so valuable to the company that no one is going to take steps against him. Your supervisor might be his best friend off the job. But in either case, you should at least try. The situation probably wont be resolved without their cooperation if you cant make the bully back down on your own. If Your Supervisor Is the Problem Its also possible that your supervisor is the problem. Go over his head if possible. In this case, it can be particularly important to keep notes and documentation of the incidents, including the names of those who witnessed them. Those your supervisor reports to are probably not going to be happy to hear this information. They might want it to just go away so they dont have to deal with it...and youll make it easier for them to do that if you jump in with unsubstantiated allegations. They might also take an unfavorable view of you for causing problems- unless you can back up what youre telling them with that documentation and cooperative witnesses. If your supervisor is the owner of the company, or if you get no satisfaction when speaking to his supervisor, speak to a lawyer about possibly filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. You might have grounds to do this, but you must report the incidents before you file a lawsuit. You then have only six months to act after notifying your employer of the problem or asking your boss to stop his abusive behavior. Federal Law Theres no specific law against bullying in the workplace unless it occurs due to discriminatory factors, s o its important that you know your rights. Many bullying behaviors mirror the definition of a hostile work environment or workplace discrimination. If theyre directed at you by a superior, this might be considered harassment and if your superiors actions are based on discriminatory factors, you might have grounds for legal action. Many areas have free local legal clinics for this type of problem. Spend some time with an attorney and explain whats been happening to you. Find out if the bullys behavior legally crosses a line and where you stand. Ask about other options you might have under the circumstances of your own unique situation. Bullying vs. aHostile Work Environment Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for an employer,manager, or supervisor to take certain actions against employees based on their sex, religion, race, national origin, or color. An employer can be held responsible for the actions of management and supervisory staff. Harassment becomes illegal when tolerating it becomes a condition of your employment- you either put up with it or youre out of a job. Bullying rises to the level of harassment when any reasonable employee would consider the behavior uncomfortable, offensive, or hostile. Some examples and warning signs of bullying crossing over the threshold into discrimination and a hostile work environmentinclude Denying an employee access to resources, assignments, projects, or opportunitiesLittle or no feedback on performanceWithholding information thats essential to performing your jobFailing to invite you or let you know about an essential meetingThreatening job lossExcessive monitoring or micro-managementAssigning tasks that cannot be completed by the deadline and setting unrealistic and impossible goalsInterference or sabotageTreating you differently than your peers and co-workers are treatedExcessive, impossible, conflicting work expectations or demands Inequitable and harsh treatmentInvalid or baseless criti cism, faultfinding, and unwarranted blameAccusatory or threatening statementsHumiliation, public reprimands, or obscene language This type of behavior must be repetitive and pervasive to rise to the level of a hostile work environment. It cant be something that just happens now and again. Something that happens sporadically might just be bullying. But bullying by a co-worker can be considered as creating a hostile work environment if your employer or supervisor is aware of the situation and does nothing to stop it. Moving Forward Bullies dont usually just zoom in on one person so its likely that one or more of your coworkers might be experiencing ill-treatment as well. It can help you and them if you offer your assistance based on your own experiences, and particularly if you all band together to push back against the bully. Be a mentor. Consider getting involved to help protect others. And remember, workplaces will be workplaces. In most cases, you have a lot of different perso nalities thrown into one cauldron during working hours. Drama, power struggles, and office politics are often inevitable, at least to some extent. Try to keep yourself as far removed from all this as possible. Concentrate on your own work and excellence, and let people be people.

TalentGuard Announces New Release of CareerPath Career Development Software

TalentGuard Announces New Release of CareerPath Career Development Software TalentGuard Announces New Release of CareerPath Career Development Software Before this innovation from TalentGuard, every career development program focused on employees moving up the vertical ladder in a very predictable way. By enabling employees to engage in a lattice approach, they take more ownership over their career path and choose any number of job roles based on their skills, interests, experiences and preferences. Organizations simply dont have the internal career framework or expertise to make this happen, said Linda Ginac, CEO of TalentGaurd. With our continuous focus on career pathing and innovation, our team at TalentGuard has passionately studied the needs of modern internal career mobility, and we have created an effective solution to this frustrating problem.Some of the key enhancements of the new CareerPath by TalentGuard include An updated end user interface with a cleaner entwurf and mo re efficient interactions. Integration of Comprehensive Competency and Best-Practice Job Role Profile database consisting of more than 40 business interpersonal competencies, 400 industry specific functional/technological competencies, and more than 750 job role profiles, all fully editable. Social Enterprise 2.0 to enable employees to connect with co-workers for real-time feedback and recognition. The career pathing solution can connect employees career path interests with internal vacancies to allow them to collaborate with people holding similar roles.