Module 5 · Building relationships · Lesson 7 of 10

Building professional relationships

Work relationships that are useful and human at the same time.

7 min read · Level: Practising · Free — no account needed to read

The idea

Professional relationships are useful and human at the same time. The best ones rest on competence (doing good work), reliability (doing what you said) and warmth (being decent to be around).

They grow through small interactions: helping with a problem, sharing credit, asking good questions, remembering someone’s situation. They also have boundaries — it is fine to keep some things private at work.

Why it matters

Much of what happens in a career — opportunities, recommendations, help in a crisis — travels through relationships.

See it happen

Nusrat is new at work and keeps entirely to herself to look professional.

The first reaction

She thinks focusing on the work is all that matters.

With the idea

She starts asking colleagues about their projects and offering help when she can. Within months she is the one people bring into interesting work.

What changed

Good work plus good relationships opened more doors than good work alone.

Easy to get wrong

• Only reaching out to colleagues when you need something.
• Treating “professional” as meaning cold.

Try it now: Your work relationships

1. List five people you work or study with.
2. For each, write one thing you know about their work that you could help with or ask about.
3. Pick one to connect with this week.

Questions to think about

• Which work relationship would make the biggest difference if it were stronger?
• What do you do that makes you easy — or hard — to work with?

Your challenge this week

Offer help to one colleague this week with no request attached.