Take Your Professional Relationships to the Next Level

Five tips for adding meaning to your professional relationships

Maintaining meaningful relationships in the 21st century has become increasingly difficult. If you want to take your professional relationships to the next level, consider these five tips included in an article by entrepreneur and investor John Rampton.

Perfect the skill of listening.

Listening means being present and engaged, not talking and comprehending what someone else is communicating. You might not agree with real estate clients, for example, but you’ll have better relationships with them if you understand what they think and why.

Choose positivity.

Things can and do go wrong in real estate. The agent who remains positive and helps to put clients at ease, rather than ignite a situation with negativity, will stand out. Rampton writes it’s preferable to be with people who are upbeat, versus downers.

Phone calls still in vogue.

Communicating by text, email or via social media messages and comments is important to the big picture. But there’s still the need for actual face-to-face or phone conversations. Connecting by voice or in-person doesn’t have to be long and drawn out, but these conversations and meetings can be meaningful and strengthen relationships.

Go beyond talking about properties. 

Ask what interests your colleagues and clients. Common interests, including in sports, culture, hobbies, strengthen connections between people.

Communication is pivotal in relationships. 

Use simple but powerful communication practices, like making eye contact and speaking (or writing) clearly and professionally. If you’re mumbling, for example, it’s difficult for people to understand you and talk with you. Harness the power of communication by engaging, connecting and being clear.

More on building professional relationships

Want more tips on creating great professional relationships? Check out Mbition’s new Build Lifetime Relationships in Real Estate Digital Resource Guide available now.

Source: “25 Tips for Having Meaningful Relationships,” Entrepreneur.com (Jan. 13, 2015)