Today we’re living in uncertain times. The COVID “effect” is ever-present. Pricing on everything from energy to eggs is in constant flux. The political election cycle is in full throttle. Stress levels are high. People are hesitant to make big changes in their personal and professional lives. We’re taking stock of our relationships on all fronts.
A recent post from SelfStairway.com suggests personal relationships can be defined as a constant exchange of value. So, are we giving more than we are receiving? Are we providing relational value to those important connections? As it pertains to businesses, organizations are evaluating their relationships, and their investments, with external audiences. Partners. Vendors. Customers. So, now is the time to shore up your skills in strengthening your existing relationships and igniting new ones. Experience has proven the most effective approach starts with building trust. “Trust” has to be earned and it’s my belief it begins with adding value.
How is adding value defined? Professional value can come in many forms. Knowledge. Content. Resources. Relational value is gleaned through expressions of empathy and candid conversations. Regardless of the type of value, it needs to be delivered authentically, with no strings attached. In short, it’s a mindset that you carry with you in everyday life. Adding value works in all contexts, from marriages and friendships to client and customer relationships. Spend some time figuring out how you can ramp up your value-add game. Be proactive by providing new market intelligence to a client without being asked to do so. Introduce a friend to a colleague that could benefit from that connection. Offer to take on an assignment that you know is a pain point for your supervisor.
All these gestures will have a positive impact on that relationship; simply by proactively taking a small action to layer on value. The positive outcomes for you might be immediate or may take a while to emerge. Regardless of the timing, you will ultimately extract more value from your relationships. Remember, value equals trust and trust builds relational equity.
