Are you willing to build relationships?

Wednesday Wisdom time, and today I share some wisdom from one of the wisest: Mahatma Gandhi.

I’ve had a few conversations recently with people, about the importance of building strong relationships, especially at work, where we don’t get to choose our colleagues.

It’s an important skill for all of us, and particularly important for leaders.

By building and nurturing strong, positive relationships with their teams, their peers, their seniors, and beyond into their wider organisation and supply chain, they are able to leverage the power and creativity of the collective.

The world is too complex, too uncertain, too fast moving, for any leader to be an island, to be going it alone.

And even if you’re not a leader of others, the same is true.

We’re wired as humans for connection and to operate as a pack. To collaborate, co-operate, throw ideas around, solve problems together, support each other, to care and be cared for.

Muscles and physical strength have nothing to do with leadership as they may have done back in cave dwelling times.

Now, more than ever, we need leaders who can bring people together, who can build communities and corporations where people thrive.

And…we need the people in those communities and corporations to show up willing to share the responsibility and contribute to their overall success.

Get in touch if you’re keen to develop your relationship building skills.