Building Relationships

Building Relationships

Promise
Lastly, the “promise” stage is where actions are put in place in response to the information gathered.
The ‘promise’ of action on the back of the stakeholder consultation process helps drive the
development of a long-term relationship based on transparency and collaboration.

How is it done?
Methods of stakeholder consultation are largely the same as those used for market research. The key
question is whether the consultation requires depth of knowledge or breadth of knowledge. The answer
generally determines which method will be chosen.

If depth of knowledge is required, a qualitative study is usually appropriate. These are studies which
encourage open styles of discussion and debate. The most common methods used to gather depth of
information are focus groups, individual depth interviews and observation (or ethnography).

If breadth of knowledge is required, a more quantitative study is usually appropriate. These are
studies which encompass large number of respondents but are restricted to closed style questions,
aimed at providing generalist viewpoints. The most common methods used to gather breadth of
information are online surveys, telephone surveys, and short street interviews.

As understanding stakeholders becomes more and more important for businesses, stakeholder consultation
will become a vital process to maximise success. Stakeholder consultation can be used to evaluate reactions
and to track the perceptions of a company’s activities and ensure collaboration and partnership with all
stakeholders. The long-term effectiveness of an organisation can depend on its relationships with
stakeholders, ensuring commitment and buy-in to any future strategies and challenges. This makes for a
more informed organisation that is responsive to the needs of all its users and stakeholders.

The Importance of Feedback

Getting different perspectives on our behaviour and performance can be a powerful method for self-
reflection. It can be a driving force behind understanding ourselves, increasing our choices and making
decisions about any changes we may wish to make.

Stakeholder feedback differs slightly from 360-degree Feedback due to the audience being targeted.

Unless designed as such, stakeholder feedback does not need to seek views from people you interact with at
different hierarchical levels. Instead, questions are asked which normally relate to a specific role or service
provided and/or behavioural and attitude factors. You would then identify stakeholders who would be best
placed to respond to that question, regardless of their level.

Responses are normally analysed using a scoring or value judgement system. This allows you to gain a set of
standardised results, which you can then analyse to help you reflect upon your performance. You should
also assess yourself using the same feedback method.

Some areas for consideration when undertaking stakeholder feedback:

• Open, honest feedback can sometimes be hard to hear. It is important to identify and agree the
criteria you will use, your respondents and how the process will work.

• Consider the tool you are going to use to best analyse your results. For example, if you are using a
numerical scoring system for responses (such as 1 – do not agree, to 6 – Agree totally) it may be a

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spreadsheet is the best way of recording the information to analyse. You may find numerical
feedback more appropriate than descriptive feedback in most instances.
• You should ensure your respondents are aware of any confidentiality, equality and discrimination
issues when making their responses.
• Once you have received your feedback, it is important you analyse this so you can look for positive
feedback and possible future developmental areas where the feedback may not be so positive.

Giving good, constructive feedback is probably one of the most important things a leader can do for their
team.

Whether providing feedback to encourage improvements or simply praising a job well done, feedback is an
underrated, underutilised management tool that can make a world of difference to staff and business
performance.

The Rules of Providing Feedback and Interpreting it.

• Be specific. Leave no room for doubt about who your feedback applies to.
• Be timely. If a performance issue arises, provide feedback as soon as possible after the event or

situation.
• Be in the right place at the right time. Choose your timing and your venue carefully.
• Be human and humble. Do not let your ego or your position of authority cloud your judgement.
• No ifs, buts, or maybes. Be firm, assertive and fair. Your feedback and intentions should be

crystal clear.

And finally…

• Be prepared to ask for help from an expert.

By properly managing the stakeholders’ expectations from the outset, the chances for a smoother journey
are much greater.

Identify the stakeholder’s preferred method of communication.
By using the most effective manner of communication you will help ensure the stakeholder remains
content. If you make the mistake of using the wrong method (or non-preferred method) it will cause
frustration and lack of confidence. It will show you did not listen to their initial direction.

Keep stakeholders engaged throughout the process with timely updates. Ask the right questions, of the
right people, at the beginning and throughout the project.

Accurately map expectations.
Be crystal clear on the expectations from the stakeholder’s point of view. Ask them how they will
measure success of the project. Inevitably you will discover conflicting definitions of success. Some
will consider meeting the final deadline their number one priority. Another might consider end user
functionality of the final product as most important. How do you manage these conflicts? One way
would be to facilitate a meeting of all stakeholders (where practical) and help them come to mutually
satisfying agreements.

Classify the level of communication for each stakeholder.
Understand who requires hand holding and insists on receiving all details. Who prefers a basic,
occasional overview? Who wants daily or weekly communication?

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Identify which stakeholders will be advocates and which will be road blockers.
Map your strategy accordingly.
Engage the stakeholders in decision making.
Stroke their egos. You probably have already identified the best course of action but present your
findings in such a way that you leave room for the stakeholders to feel they have been involved in the
process.
Stakeholders will remember the overall mood of the entire process. Their measure of success is not just the
finished product, but the way you attained the end goal.

Stakeholder
Management

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Benefits of Teamworking

When people work together, there can be benefits for the individual team members, teams and
the organisation. For a team to work effectively, they have to develop productive and positive
working relationships that are based on:

• clear lines of communication – so that people know where to go to ask questions, or report and
discuss issues

• openness – giving and receiving correct and appropriate information
• mutual trust and respect – where everyone listens to each other, and acknowledges feelings and

opinions

For individual team members

Individuals can benefit from, for example:

• feeling proud to be associated with a successful and effective team – e.g., a sense of
belonging and job satisfaction

• feeling supported when tackling tasks or learning new skills – e.g., being able to develop their
skills and stretch their talents with the help of others

• feeling secure and confident – e.g., from knowing that they are delivering high-quality goods and
services

• other team members’ knowledge, skills and experience – e.g., making the whole team more
successful

• opportunities for creativity and career development – e.g., from team members supporting
each other and being innovative

• increased motivation – e.g., to stay on a good team and help it to succeed by doing their best
• feeling valued – e.g., knowing that their input is important and that their opinions matter

For teams

Teams can benefit from, for example:

• working towards shared objectives – e.g., working together effectively towards agreed, shared
goals

• team members who are flexible and able to do several tasks – e.g., multi-skilled team
members who can be moved around between tasks or cover for each other’s holidays or periods of
sickness

• a balanced and supported environment – e.g., from being a happy team where the members
support each other and tackle objectives and problems together

• bringing together expertise of team members for the benefit of the whole team – e.g.,
having people with different strengths and attributes

For the organisation

The benefits of effective team working can be considerable for an organisation, for example:

• successful achievement of organisational objectives – e.g., to meet or exceed sales or
production targets

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• access to a wide range of talents and strengths within the workforce – e.g., pooling different
talents that work together well to achieve major goals

• good internal communications – e.g., where team members and different teams communicate
well with each other to improve operational productivity

• increased efficiency and less duplication of work – e.g., where teams understand each other’s
tasks and needs, then work together to streamline their operations

• a more flexible workforce – e.g., where team members can cover for each other and perform a
variety of tasks to maintain consistency and continuity

• better relationships with customers – e.g., from offering consistently high-quality customer
service

• better relationships with others connected to the organisation – e.g., from having a
reputation for being a reliable, consistent and smooth-running operation

Cross-team working

As an extension of teamwork, some organisations also have cross-team working. This is based on
collaboration between different teams and is a useful way of working when there is a shared project or
objective. The number of people involved in cross-team working will depend on the scale of the
collaboration.

Some teams with different functions work together all the time. For example, in a car manufacturing
company, functional teams that work together all the time could include separate teams who:

• build the bodywork of the cars
• install the engines
• install the electronics and trim
• do the paint finishing

Each team’s work is very dependent on input from other teams, so they need to liaise on a regular
basis about subjects that include, for example:

• the speed of production – so that the cars flow steadily from one team to the next without any
delays, backlogs or excessive waiting times

• quality – so that all the teams work to a recognised standard
• problem-solving – so that they have agreed procedures on what to do when things go wrong to

minimise the knock-on effect on other teams

Sometimes, different functional teams only come together for a specific project. For example,
a wedding planning company works with over a hundred different suppliers and brings together
different teams for each event. The requirements are unique for each couple and they can choose
from several suppliers for each function, including, for example:

• venue
• catering
• waiting and bar service
• floristry
• music and entertainment
• table and room decoration

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The wedding planner then has to bring together the different functional teams to work together
just for the one wedding. Some of the supplier teams may know each other, and work together
from time to time, but each wedding will be different.

In cross-team working, it can help to smooth the process by having some individuals move from
one team to the other. This can be on a temporary or permanent basis. It can help to ease
problems by having an expert on hand to answer queries and help solve problems. For example,
in the car manufacturing company, a paintwork specialist could work with the bodywork team
to help them to prepare the metal to a suitable standard to accept the paint well. This would be
particularly useful when:

• a new procedure or product is introduced – e.g., they need to work out new methods together
when designing the quality standards for a new model

• there have been quality issues – e.g., to make sure that adjustments and improvements are
effective

Moving individuals from one team to another can also be of great benefit to their career development and
working relationships. For example, in a large hotel or restaurant, kitchen team members and front of house
team members rely on each other to deliver excellent products and service to the guests. To really
appreciate what the other team does and needs, it can be useful and enlightening to work with them for a
short while.

Benefits and challenges of effective cross-team working

Cross-team working on any scale can be complicated as there are a number of variables that have to be
considered. Relationships need to be carefully managed as a range of skills, knowledge, experience,
expectations and goals need to be brought together to achieve a shared objective.

As we can see in a hospital, for example, difficult and complicated tasks are performed by several different
teams working together. The staff are interdependent and no team could run the hospital
on its own for long. For example:

• the surgeons need the operating theatres to be fully cleaned and maintained by the
facilities management team

• the surgeons also need a fully qualified team of nurses, doctors and technicians to work
with them

• high-quality, sterile equipment used in theatre needs to be ordered, stored and managed
by a procurement team

• patients need to be prepared, processed and cared for by ward and outpatient clinic staff
• some emergency patients need to be brought in by the ambulance service and may have

been treated by a paramedic at the scene
• staff on the occupational health team may help to rehabilitate the patient after surgery
• social workers may be involved with getting support and care for the patient once they

have been discharged

When teams work together, sophisticated and complex tasks can be coordinated and performed to provide
an effective service. The organisation skills and input are considerable, but they are necessary if
complicated, cross-functional activities are to take place and be successful.

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Benefits of cross-team working include, for example:

• having a shared purpose and capacity to achieve complex and difficult objectives – that
could not be done by one team on their own

• opportunities to discuss shared goals – and how to achieve objectives together
• improved relationships between different teams – from enhanced understanding of each

team’s issues and expectations
• diverse and flexible team members – who can perform a variety of tasks, work on more than one

team and enhance their career development potential
• good internal communication – from establishing joint procedures and keeping each other

informed at every stage
• consistent standards of quality and output – from collaboration about standards and how to

achieve excellence
• a broader team spirit – bringing different teams together and reducing friction between them

Challenges of cross-team working include, for example:

• conflict – e.g., unease between individuals or teams when they cannot agree about objectives or
standards, when one team’s problems have a knock-on effect on the other team

• conflicts of interest – e.g., when teams have incompatible goals or standards; when one team
focuses on quality and takes its time, while another focuses on fast production

• practical difficulties – e.g., when working together becomes difficult or impossible due to
management, logistical or time-management issues

• lack of shared understanding – e.g., due to lack of preparation, information or briefing time
• stress and anxiety – e.g., when working on another team is in addition to normal duties and

becomes too much to cope with; when team members think that arrangements are unnecessary or
unreasonable, when tasks are allocated unfairly

When planning and managing cross-team working, managers need to think very carefully about the different
aspects of each situation or project, making sure that individuals are not stretched too far in the quest for
achieving organisational objectives. They need to employ excellent organisational skills and be able to stand
back to gain an overview of the whole situation.

Building relationships across teams to achieve organisational objectives

Good communication is important when building relationships across teams to achieve organisational
objectives. It can be very difficult to ‘get everyone onside’, especially if some team members are, for
example:

• resistant to change
• worried about their job security
• sceptical about the organisation in general
• sceptical about particular managers or strategies

This is especially true if they have experienced failures in the workplace and do not have faith in the
organisation’s leaders and managers.

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However, good, clear communication will assist greatly when a manager needs to develop relationships with
other teams. Collective and collaborative decisions that are agreed by all the teams concerned are more
powerful and much more likely to be successful, rather than decisions that are imposed by one team’s
manager, so managers need to:

Establish a command structure

This is needed so that everyone knows how to escalate problems to the right people and cascade
information down to all concerned. The manager in charge of building relationships might have to work
with, for example:

• team leaders from different teams
• managers from other teams – who may be senior, junior or the same level as them
• groups of team members from different teams
• a mixture of employee teams, outside contractors and suppliers – e.g., a hotel’s own waiting

and bar staff plus freelance teams of florists and musicians
• internal and external teams – e.g., the organisation’s own planning team and the local council’s

planning team

Clear lines of communication, authority and responsibility need to be established at the beginning
of the relationship-building process.

Involve the teams in agreeing goals and objectives

Collaboration is the best way to go forward as it will:

• enable team members to share their values and vision
• develop a joint team spirit
• develop mutual trust, honesty and respect

Effective collaboration is achieved through effective communication.

Use appropriate communication techniques for messages

Effective communication is usually simple and to the point. Managers need to:

• use appropriate language – so that everyone can understand without feeling that they are being
‘talked down to’; avoiding jargon that only some people will understand

• use the right method of communication – such as emails for general information, but private
meetings and face-to-face discussions for sensitive or personal matters

• present information that is clear, concise and at the right level of detail
• speak and write clearly – to minimise misunderstanding
• use good listening skills and eye contact
• allow people to respond and listen to what is being said
• be prepared to discuss issues
• check that everyone has understood the information

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Lead by example

Managers need to demonstrate professional and supportive behaviours at all times. By developing an
atmosphere of professionalism and mutual support, members of all the teams are encouraged to perform
well and to enjoy the shared tasks, and to commit to the common purpose and cross-team
working.

Keep everyone informed on a regular basis

Effective communication is reinforced by regular updates about progress, goals, purpose, objectives and so
on. Regular information helps to keep the purpose of the cross-team working and organisational objectives
in focus. This needs to happen while relationships are getting established, and later on to flag up successes
and problems as they occur.

Empower team members and make them accountable for their actions – as teams and as individuals

The manager needs to make sure that the members of the different teams get the credit when things go well
and feel empowered to make decisions that are within the limits of their authority.

This encourages people to take pride in their work and be accountable for their actions. By taking
ownership, team members will be more proactive when problems arise and should enjoy better job
satisfaction when things go well.

When there are problems, support needs to be given early to keep teams on track with achieving their
objectives – e.g., reviewing all relevant processes; allocating more resources; retraining or arranging help
from more experienced colleagues; letting team members go back to their original team.

If team members know that they will be supported if there are problems, they are more likely to commit to
the common sense of purpose and organisational objectives. They will see that issues are considered in
detail for each team, and that they will not be left alone to struggle.

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Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control and express our emotions, and use
them effectively in interpersonal relationships.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to ‘step into someone else’s shoes’ and
see things from their point of view.

It was developed as a psychological theory by Peter Salovey and John Mayer in 1997:

“Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate
emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and

to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.”

The ability to understand how people feel and react can be extremely useful when building relationships in
the workplace, and it can be applied on two levels:

• personal – understanding our own feelings or reactions
• interpersonal – understanding other people’s feelings and reactions

As managers and leaders, we often have to work as a team or develop relationships with colleagues,
customers and other stakeholders. A reasonable degree of emotional intelligence can help managers be, for
example:

• empathetic – e.g., able to put themselves in other people’s shoes
• sensitive to others – e.g., able to sense and respond to their needs, problems and feelings
• understanding and sympathetic – e.g., able to understand the complexities of life and make

allowances when things go wrong
• good at reading other people’s emotions correctly – e.g., able to identify the less obvious

causes for emotional outbursts

These skills give managers a great advantage, especially when they are involved with functions that rely on
relationship management. Managers with good emotional intelligence skills instinctively know how to
manipulate situations, inspire and motivate people, and get the best out of them.

Goleman’s Theory of Emotional Intelligence

One model that explains emotional intelligence was developed by Daniel Goleman, a psychologist
and science journalist, following on from Salovey and Mayer’s theory. The theory identifies four
components:

• Self-awareness – the conscious knowledge of our character, beliefs, emotions, qualities and
desires

• Self-management and motivation – the ability to stay calm under pressure and stay motivated
to achieve goals

• Social awareness – the ability to have empathy and understand other people’s emotions and
feelings

• Relationship skills – the ability to influence, negotiate, communicate, build rapport and develop
networks

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As the Goleman theory shows, the main focus for emotional intelligence is relationship management.

Importance of awareness of emotional intelligence

When building relationships in the workplace, emotional intelligence is a very useful ‘soft’ skill as it
helps people to:

• read each other’s feelings and reactions more accurately
• adapt their approach
• employ appropriate skills

It can provide an extra insight into how to get the best out of people, how to develop leadership
skills and how to deal with difficult situations effectively.

Following on from the Goleman theory, we can see how self-awareness is the starting point for
building and developing relationships with others. We need self-awareness to be able to show
empathy and sensitivity towards others. Our ability to manage ourselves, particularly our emotions,
enables us to remain calm under pressure and be understanding and sympathetic when required.

Good social awareness helps us to read other people’s emotions correctly.

By being self-confident, calm and non-judgmental, we can use our emotional intelligence to
see beyond the obvious. For example, if a customer is very stressed and irate about a product
or service, their strong reactions could be due to something in their personal life, rather than
the problem they are complaining about. By staying calm and polite, we can use our empathy
and understanding to get to the root of the problem, help diffuse the tension and address the
customer’s real concerns.

Managers can work to improve the emotional development of themselves and their team
members by, for example:

• running team-building exercises
• coaching individuals
• taking and running training courses in negotiation and communication skills

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According to Goleman, the higher someone goes in an organisation, the more the emotional skills matter.
Senior managers and directors can hire people with the skills and knowledge that the organisation needs,
but they need to be very competent in emotional intelligence themselves.

Good relationship capabilities become more critical as careers progress.

We also need to be aware that some people find it extremely hard to use and understand emotional
intelligence – e.g., due to cultural or personal development issues. We cannot assume that we all have the
same ability to ‘put ourselves in someone else’s shoes’ when we are building relationships.

An awareness of the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace enables us to:

• make the most of the advantages the skill can offer
• recognise different levels of emotional intelligence in others
• be aware that not everyone has the skill
• adapt our approach when required

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