How to Build Better Relationships to Advance Your Career

Looking to get ahead in your career? Whether your goal is to raise your own level of performance, enhance customer engagement, or become a more effective leader, it all starts with bringing out the best in your co-workers, and in yourself, too.

One of the primary keys to success is learning to identify the fundamental characteristics of your co-workers, and developing strategies to work with each type of boss, co-worker or client you come across, says Kim Christfort, national managing director of Deloitte’s US Greenhouse Experience and co-author of the new book, “Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships.”

Co-written with Suzanne Vickberg, lead researcher of Business Chemistry at the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience, “Business Chemistry” identifies the four most common types of people you will work with in your career:

• “Pioneers” who value possibilities and spark energy and imagination. They’re creative thinkers who believe big risks can bring great things.

• “Drivers” who value challenge and generate momentum. They’re direct in their approach to people and problems.

• “Guardians” who value stability and bring rigor and order. They’re deliberate decision makers apt to stick with status quo.

• “Integrators” who value connection and draw teams together. They’re attuned to nuance, seeing shades of grey rather than black and white.

Once you identify the traits that make your co-workers and team tick, you can use this knowledge to become a more effective leader or team player, stress Deloitte’s Christfort and Vickberg. It’s all about learning how to best interact with each of the four major “Business Chemistry” types to help generate the best results and raise your level of performance -- and your value to your employer.

Here are several ways to apply that knowledge and become more effective at your job:

• Recognize the key differences in how people work, so you can build empathy and stronger relationships with them -- and flex your own style accordingly.

• Learn which kinds of working conditions and interactions can motivate your team, and which kinds may kill their potential. Then you can manage situations to help your team thrive.

• Tap into the diversity of your co-workers by determining whose needs are being met and whose aren’t, and then revamp your team’s normal processes so that everyone can perform at his or her best.

“Among members of a team, there will often be key differences in working styles and in what each individual needs to thrive,” says Christfort. “An effective leader and co-worker can manage and motivate different types of people by learning what kinds of interactions and working conditions enhance everyone’s performance.”

For more tips and insights on how Business Chemistry can help you – and your team – perform at your best, visit deloitte.com/us/practicalmagic.

By spending some time learning what drives your co-workers, bosses and employees, you can discover how to create a more productive team atmosphere that allows everyone to thrive and succeed, including yourself.

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