Building lasting connections is important in business no matter what your interests or industry are. I, Ike Madu, have mastered building strong relationships from my previous roles as a senior consultant for financial services companies. Having strong relationships has helped me a long way in stepping up the corporate ladder from being a consultant to a manager and eventually to a director. Connections have made a major impact on my career and even in establishing my very own company, Maigrit PLC.
Here are 6 effective ways in building lasting relationships with people that I, Ike Madu, have learned throughout my career.
Show Sincerity
One way to catch people's attention is to appreciate them. Give compliments but make sure that it is genuine. People hate insincerity and never underestimate their capacity to find out whether you are genuine or not. And once they found out you that you are fake, they will never trust you again. So be careful on this. Be sincere.
Be AttentiveBe an active listener. Listen not only to what people are saying but also to what they're not. Learn to read between the lines so you will know where they're coming from.
Offer HelpEveryone needs help. Even the richest man in the world needs help. When you give your attention to people, you would what they need. Offer to help them with it and you'll get what you want.
Never Judge
When you judge people, you have just destroyed a bridge and built a solid wall in between. So stop judging. Instead, learn to understand.
Be MemorableIf you are just like everybody else, chances are, you will be forgotten. Make sure to leave a lasting good impression to people. One of the ways to do that is to let them feel great about themselves whenever you are around. That way, you will stand out.
Stay Connected
Your first contact with people shouldn't be the last. Initiate another meeting. It could be for a sport that you are both interested in, a drive to the countryside, a chat over coffee or beer, or a business proposal. Anything interesting will do as long as you'll stay connected with them.
Practice these 6 steps, master them, and I, Ike Madu, assure you that you will be amazed at the outcome.
Ike Madu is an accomplished Director /manager/project coordinator with direct experience in both the recruiting and building of cohesive work teams.Over 25 years of business /financial services experience having held Senior Management and Board level appointments with a variety of Companies throughout his career, spanning Financial services, commodities, general commerce & eWallet’s.