Too many small-business owners make the mistake of thinking they can
do it alone when, in fact, it’s critical for them to form sustaining
relationships as their businesses grow.
The way you interact and relate to others is crucial when it comes to
building a trusting, solid foundation for your organization, Alan S.
Berson and Richard G. Stieglitz say in their book Leadership Conversations.
“[Business owners] think, ‘I don’t have time for relationships. I
need to make quick decisions and get things in order,’” Berson tells us,
adding that’s actually one of the biggest mistakes business owners can
make. “Relationships are the foundation of everything you are trying to
achieve.”
As your business grows and responsibilities increase, your
relationships with customers, suppliers, competitors, industry leaders,
financiers and professional advisers should also grow. In their book,
the authors point out four different types of professional relationships
that are crucial for success: Targeted, Tentative, Transactional and
Trusted relationships.
“You need to think of these relationships as a way to keep things
going,” Berson says. “If you wait until you need them, it’ll be too
late.”
Here are the four relationships you must have as a business owner:
1. Targeted Relationships
These are the people you don’t know but who are in the same industry
as you—either as peers or competitors. It’s worthwhile targeting and
connecting with them, because “you will benefit from what they offer and
they will benefit from knowing you.”
Targeted relationships don’t feel real because you don’t actually know these people personally; maybe you connect with them on LinkedIn
or quickly exchanged business cards at an event. You can’t depend on
these people yet, but if you work on these relationships, these people
can be crucial to you in the future. If you target the right people,
you’ll know exactly who to turn to if the industry or market ever
changes.
2. Tentative Relationships
Before you can ask someone to do something for you, you have to form
some kind of relationship with him or her. If you’ve spoken briefly to
someone at a conference or a networking event, that relationship is a
tentative one. You might not truly know these people yet, but you know
them enough to email them for a small favor or to ask them if they would
be interested in getting involved in your new project.
Tentative relationships are different from your targeted ones
because you actually speak or meet up with these people at least
semi-regularly for coffee or lunch. You see your relationship with them
growing, and you put effort into getting to know one another better.
These people can benefit your company: For example, if you need to know
where to get certain supplies, these people can help connect you with
the right people. If they are experts in their industries, they can
advise you on different business decisions.
3. Transactional Relationships
These types of relationships are less personal and typically used by
managers to accomplish specific business objectives. “They are defined
by what each party can do for the other to reach near-term objectives,
seldom extended into career or personal areas,” Berson and
Stieglitz write. For example, relationships with customers, peers or
suppliers are often transactional relationships.
“Transactional
relationship partners trust and respect each other because they
frequently work together and consistently treat each other fairly,” the
authors explain. “These relationships develop with go-to people whom you
can count on to get the job done. Likewise, they trust that you will
meet your end of the bargain.”
4. Trusted Relationships
These are the most personal, valuable and often the
“longest-lasting” relationships out of all of these. The conversations
that you have with these people are usually related to long-term plans.
These people are your mentors and close peers at work. This kind of
relationship also needs to exist between senior executives and partners
in different organizations. Business deals need to be crafted through
trusted relationships. To create a trusted relationship, you need to
have had many interactions with one another that have gone well. At the
beginning of these trusted relationships, you should offer your service,
product or expertise without expecting anything in return. Once this
happens, a trust is formed between you and the other person. If you
decide to do business with one another, those interactions can
eventually lead to a trusted relationship if you treat each other well
and don’t “abuse the relationship for a one-sided gain.”
Trusted relationships take the most work and longest to form, but
they are worth it because they “frequently create huge opportunities and
have enormous long-term impacts” on organizations, the authors write.
You don’t need to have deep relationships with everyone you meet.
It’s best to choose a few people to enter into trusted relationships
with and have a bigger group of people for targeted, tentative and
transactional relationships.
culled from Vivian Giang
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Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Messi, C Ronaldo & Iniesta nominated for 2012 Fifa Ballon d'Or
The winner will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 7 January 2013.
Judging from their faces in the above photo, one will visibly see that Andres Iniesta who has no doubt had an amazing season isn't so sure that we will be able to win the prestigious title after winning a similar award a short while ago and considering the after-effect his winning the award had on our own very beloved Christiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi seems to have a mischievous look, my guess is that he really wants his colleague and fellow team mate Andres Iniesta to really win the award because obviously Iniesta has been instrumental in his success at FC Barcelona by providing support and goal assists. However he would also love to piss of Christiano Ronaldo which he has been notorious for one more time just for the fun of it by winning the Fifa Ballion d'Or.
Christiano Ronaldo seems agitated and angry about the current turn of events. He not only has to fight against the legendary Lionel Messi, but there is now a slow poison in the block Iniesta. Life seems unfair to Ronaldo these days as even his teammates are unsupportive unwillingly to cry with him in his time of trouble.
Guys who do you think should win the award this year?
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
ALUU FOUR TRAVESTRY


Apparently, there's an Aluu4 movie in the making and it's being produced by Simony Productions. While the perpetrators of this heinous crime have not been brought to book, Simony Production the Idumota marketers and producers of Blackberry Babes are already looking for ways to make money out of this situation.
I just have a quick question for these hungry producers
- Have you consulted and sought the approval from the parents of the deceased before proceeding with the movie.
- What is your motive in producing this film i.e as with every thing that goes with the Nigerian movie industry, I fear that the memory of four boys killed in Aluu will be trivialized.
- Will part of the revenue from the film be given to the families of the deceased and several other institutions promoting non-violence.
- Only time shall tell if these questions will be answered
President Goodluck Jonathan sacks Director General of Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE)
Posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 at 5:12 PM By Adeola Adeyemo
She is to hand over to the most Senior Director in the Bureau, Benjamin Ezra Dikki who is to hold the position in an acting capacity until further notice.
A press statement by the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Vice President, Umar Sani said “The
Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) Mrs.
Bolanle Onogoruwa has been relieved of her appointment with immediate
effect. She is to hand over to the most Senior Director in the Bureau,
Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki who is to hold the position in an acting
capacity.
“Mr. President extends his sincere
appreciation to Mrs. Bolanle Onogoruwa for her services to the nation
and wishes her the best in her future endeavours.“
The reason for her sack was not mentioned in the statement.
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