The Top 10 Rules of Work Relationships
Work Relationships, Working with Bosses, Workplace CommunicationThe CBS Late Show with David Letterman is famous for its Top Ten lists. These inventories take current provoking or controversial subjects and treat them with sarcasm, humor or comedy. They can be very entertaining. This week’s Comfort Food offers its own Top Ten list-not in Letterman tradition, but in a serious fashion. Consider these things when developing and maintaining your work relationships.
- Talk to your co-workers. To work effectively with others requires an ability to speak or chat both formally and informally. Find positive things to say about your co-workers. Offer cheerful words of greeting or recognition. Learn about their opinions and experience by engaging them in conversation.
- Smile at your co-workers. Not a smirk or grimace; but a beaming grin and genuine smile. It takes over 70 muscles to frown, but only 14 to smile. And think about the extra lines that form in the face when we frown. Our bodies react to smiles in very positive ways, and when co-workers receive a smile they usually begin smiling also.
- Call your co-worker by name. Your name is very important to you and the sound of it being spoken is one of the sweetest things you can hear. The same is true for your co-worker. Make it a point to use his or her name deliberately in conversations.
- Be friendly and helpful to co-workers. Go out of your way to help co-workers succeed. Create a friendly and positive environment in your work unit. Make it a place where camaraderie is celebrated and work is enjoyed.
- Be cordial to co-workers. Behave as if everything you do is a source of pleasure and joy exists when you are around.
- Express genuine interest in co-workers. Show your co-workers that you are authentic, dependable and reliable and that you genuinely care about them.
- Be generous with praise and cautious with criticism. Applaud successes and do your best to be a good listener. Bold up instead of tear down. Give feedback wisely and constructively.
- Handle co-worker feelings with care. All human beings experience emotional ups and downs, so it’s important to overlook occasional misunderstandings and be considerate of the feelings of others.
- Value co-worker opinions. There are three sides to a controversy-yours, your co-worker’s, and the right one. Seek to understand your co-worker’s viewpoint when handling disagreements.
- Practice serving others. Always be ready to serve your co-workers by being on the ball, alert and attentive to their needs. What really counts most in life is what we do for others.
Work relationships require care and maintenance. When neglected, they wither and die. When care is provided through the application of these 10 rules, they will survive and thrive.
