Every relationship is important - you never know when you might run into someone again. However, to get things done effectively and to be growing as a leader, you have to know how to work with your leaders.
There's an interesting word called RAPPORT...a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each others feelings or ideas and communicate well.
Building rapport with your leader is essential...especially if that leader is your boss, supervisor, etc.
Four ways to build Rapport:
1. Find out what your leader is trying to accomplish
- You have to put your focus on your leader, not yourself, and ALWAYS start with their goals. What are they trying to accomplish? Do my goals help or conflict with my leaders goals? Understanding your leader's motivations is the first step to delivering on their expectations.
- We are to be a "company of one" for our leader. We are to make sure we're doing everything within our power to help them achieve their goal. A major part of that is LISTENING. Most of us have heard of the 80/20 rule - when it comes to listening we understand it to mean that our leader speaks 80% of the time and we speak 20% of the time. The more the leader can talk and express themselves, the more we are drawn closer to our leader's heart.
2. Prove to your leader that they can trust you
- Any relationship that works is based on trust. In order to build an effective relationship with our leaders, they have to trust us completely...including our motivations and our ideas.
- Building trust starts with RAPPORT 101. We must approach the relationship in a positive direction assuming that WE WILL have a good connection with our leader...no matter what.
- If your leader knows that your interactions with them will be positive and truthful - trust will begin to develop. This is ESSENTIAL especially when we may have different viewpoints, beliefs, etc. than our leader.
- You'll truly prove your trustworthiness with your leader if you "keep the lines of communication open" at ALL TIMES. In other words...there's nothing we should know that our leader can't know. We must make sure information is FLOWING in to our leader. If we can know it...they certainly SHOULD know it to.
- If your leader feels that you're keeping information from them and it ends up surfacing (and believe me it will) from another source - then our trustworthiness will be questioned and our ability to advance forward will be stifled.
3. Give your leader new & fresh ideas
- Again, focus on the goals of your leader. If you sense that there is a moving away from those goals, discuss it privately with your leader. Don't just bring issues...BRING SOLUTIONS!
- When gathering new ideas - keep your leader informed...they have may have some information that will save everyone time based on their knowledge about a situation, etc.
- Stay up-to-date with blogs, trends, conferences, etc., that apply to your leader's goals. When you find ideas of interest, share them with your leader.
4. Communicate
- Learn your leader's communication style and don't deviate from it. It will require some sacrifice on your part but it will be worth it! (i.e., do they prefer phone calls, emails, texts, etc...also discover when the best time to communicate with them is.) If uncertain...ask.
- Whatever their preference is...match them with your communications.
Your relationship with Jesus will show up in your relationship with others. Build rapport and you'll build the relationship. Building requires work, understanding, patience and consistency.
