How to build great relationships for project success.

 How to build great relationships for project success.

Good relationships can be the difference between outstanding Success and dismal failure because it's all about getting people to like and trust you so that they will deliver what you need them to deliver at the right time in the right place.

Networking helps build relationships, networking either internal or external is essentially about building solid business relationship especially while executing projects.

In doing this, you need good skills in creating rapport and listening. If you can make a connection with people on subjects you have a genuine interest in, their confidence in you will grow, use this connection to engage them and then ask genuine questions and just listen. They’ll often tell you what you need to know. Strong bonds will inevitably stem from commonalities discovered in simple conversation.

Other ways to building a good relationship for project Success includes:               

Getting Personal:  This simply implies being truly interested in your client both from a business and personal view.  While discussing business issues is usually the main purpose of speaking with someone, finding out something personal about them takes the relationship to the next level like learning about hobbies, family, leisure time activities, organization membership, helps you to make a deeper connection with them.           

Also when dealing with your clients, try to mix personal information in the conversation. Every contact doesn’t have to be about business, it’s also about peeling away the layers of formality and resistance to improve your chances of achieving what you want to achieve fro the interaction. Another factor is to establish a culture that favors relationships.  

The best project managers are those that develop a good sense of community within the project team. Establishing a healthy culture can help win the hearts and minds of clients. In projects, culture is about creating a “community” within the project team that shares a common purpose.

A healthy culture can give a team an edge both in performance and in attracting good quality team members. A good culture can be how members greet each other, how they behave when under pressure. Etc, it’s about treating people with respect and listening to their point of view. Cultures need leaders to set expectations and offer guidance on what's important.

As a project manager you will need to be aware that people are watching you for clues as to how to behave in relationships with others. Action they say speak louder than voice.

Projects are all about people. So make yours a good one based on creating great relationships with your stakeholders.