Summary: A key to effective leadership is the ability to build positive relationships with other people. We know that these relationships improve retention, engagement and discretionary effort but there is a much deeper meaning and importance. Relationships fill important human needs for belonging and a sense of purpose—they add overall meaning to work and when work has a purpose, then life has a purpose. The research is clear that physical and mental health improves when people are part of a well-functioning group. This topic has gained greater importance in the past few decades as the nature of organizations has been transformed. The nature of the relationships that made a traditional hierarchy function well is dramatically different from one that makes a flat, network, team-based organization work well. In the new organization of today, with its greater emphasis on teams, networks, better information dissemination: the nature of relationships has changed. It is now important to develop relationships that elicit cooperation and encourage people to take initiative and act more independently. Please join Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman as they share nine key ways to build effective relationships and work with others in a positive way. Download the handout for "How to Build Effective Relationships."
