Building Effective Business/Career Relationships (5)

Good day. How are you doing? Today, we'll continue with the series "Building Effective Business/Career Relationships".

We've talked about identifying and nurturing key business/career relationships. We've started talking about NURTURING WORK RELATIONSHIPS. We've talked about dealing with difficult bosses/customers. Please share how these tips have helped you thus far.

Today, we'll focus on dealing with Third Parties (Vendors, Suppliers, Contractors, Consultants etc). These tips should be helpful whether you are required to deal with third parties as part of your job or if you need their services to grow your business.

1. Ensure the selection process is transparent and within the provisions of the law.
Ensure that you research and understand what the law requires when you have to use third parties. No matter how tight your contract is, if you have run foul of the law, you expose yourself (and your organization/business) to litigation. Also, you may be unable to get relief if you have to take the other party to court if you are not in full compliance either. One of the maxims of equity says "He (or she) that comes to equity must come with clean hands".

2. Execute a valid contract that gives terms and conditions, spells out each party's liabilities and which includes consequences for default, among other things.
It's best to get a lawyer to tidy this part up. Even if you have a law degree, I don't believe it'll hurt to have another lawyer review your contract before you execute it.

3. Be courteous to them.
The fact that you (or your organization) will be paying for their services does not give you the right to disrespect vendors, suppliers, contractors, consultants etc. They are professionals in their own right and are actually part of your key stakeholders. In some cases, they may eventually become your clients/customers. Treat them right. Address them properly. Pay them as and when due. Tidy up your end of the bargain.
I've seen cases where some client representatives end up seeking employment with organizations that they've managed as third parties.

4. Take heed to their professional advice.
There is a reason why you (or your organization) is paying and going through all the hassles to engage third parties.
There is the recurrent case in many major accidents where professional advice was ignored and the organization/business eventually paid dearly for it. If your consultant/vendor/supplier/contractor gives you professional advice, don't wave their concerns aside; it may eventually hurt your organization/business.

5. When in doubt about the quality of their professional advice, seek a second opinion without violating the contract terms and conditions.
If their advice seems suspect, don't override your gut feeling. Carry out independent checks and if possible, get a second opinion. Also, you can search online before you proceed.

6. Before terminating a contract, consider other arbitration options.
Terminating a contract is usually messy and there is always the potential that the other party will seek legal redress. It can be messy. Before you hit the "terminate" button, you can organize meetings to express your displeasure. f that doesn't work, try writing formally to express your (organization's) displeasure about the quality of the good or service you're receiving. This should get the other party moving most of the time. If this doesn't work, you can then involve your legal team/lawyer formally (though you should keep them involved on a regular basis even when things are running smoothly).

I'll love to get feedback from readers.
Please share your views and experiences. Thank you.

Building Effective Business/Career Relationships (4)

Good day. How are you doing? Today, we'll continue with the series "Building Effective Business/Career Relationships".

We've talked about identifying and nurturing key business/career relationships. We've started talking about NURTURING WORK RELATIONSHIPS. We paused to address the question raised about reacting violently to external stimuli and managing the aftermath. Please share how these tips have helped you thus far.

Today, we'll focus on dealing with difficult bosses/customers. In a perfect world, all bosses and customers will be fantastic people who value your work and want to see you succeed. However, we all agree that this isn't always the case. I have shared tips below on how to manage difficult bosses/customers.

1. Try to understand WHY your boss is acting so difficult. Is he/she threatened by you? Does he/she have a hard time trusting your decisions? If so, why? Are the reasons genuine or are they taking out their past terrible experiences on you? You need to pray that God opens your eyes to what the real issue is and that He shows you how to best manage the situation.
While I was an undergraduate, it occurred to me that some of my lecturers may be acting all mean because of challenges in the home. It drove me to start praying for my lecturers and that softened my heart towards them. I'll definitely be picking that habit up again for all vital relationships.

2. Don't let your boss'/customer's attitude affect the quality of your job
I agree it's hard to work with a difficult boss but you have to realise that YOU are ultimately responsible for how you feel and how YOU react to stimuli.
I have a bucket full of tales of difficult managers and customers who have attempted to make my work life difficult. Initially, I used to lose my cool and give off negative vibes. I thought it made me look tough and be viewed as a no-nonsense person. As I'm growing older and wiser, I realise that it is more sensible to factor in other people's (mis)behaviours while delivering on your job/business than to expect everyone to conform to your expectations, even if your expectations are right.

3. Anticipate your boss/customer's needs and try to get things to them before they ask. That shows you are able to work/think independently and it helps you gain trust, particularly if your boss/customer is a micro-manager.

4. Document everything. If your boss/customer makes a request, particularly if they are asking you to do something unusual. If you can, formalize with an email or whatever is the agreed means of formal communication. This tip has helped me on countless occasions. Also, devise a means of archiving such documentation; it may be what will save your job/business.

5. If you're dealing with a boss who is uncomfortable with your achievements, you need to be careful about undermining his/her authority. When presenting your facts, be careful to give him/her an opportunity to save face. It does more harm than good to try to prove that you are more competent than your boss, even if you really are.
For example, if an email comes in that is addressed to both you and your boss and you know the answer to the questions posed, a wise way to deal with this is to send an email to your boss with your answers to the questions and ask him/her to confirm that the response is good to be sent. You can then ask him/her if you can send the response or if he/she wants to respond.
Some customers come to you because of your skill then try to prove that they know more than you do. You can adapt this tip with customers, if applicable.

6. If in spite of your best efforts at dealing with your boss/customer you are still constantly at loggerheads, prayerfully and wisely escalate to the next level of management with documented evidence. If you're a business owner and in spite of your best efforts at dealing with a customer, he/she is still proving difficult, prayerfully and wisely use all legal avenues to end the contract and recover all debts. You need to be careful while ending your contract and recovering your debt so that your reputation is not damaged. Reputational damage is hard to quantify and difficult to reverse. That's the reason why some people leave bad bosses/customers to God for judgment.

Please share your views and experiences.

Building Effective Business/Career Relationships (3)

Good day. How are you doing? Today, we'll continue with the series "Building Effective Business/Career Relationships".

We've talked about identifying and nurturing key business/career relationships. Last week, we started talking about NURTURING WORK RELATIONSHIPS. Please share how these tips have helped you thus far.
...

One of our readers asked "What do you do when you react violently in shock to a situation and your reaction is being used against you?
I've shared my response below. Please feel free to add your views and opinions.
"Ideally, you should accept that you shouldn't have reacted that way and apologise IMMEDIATELY afterwards. That strategy has worked for me every time I've had that kind of reaction. If you admit your error immediately, you have made it difficult for anyone to use it against you in a vindictive manner. If time has passed and you've attempted to justify this behaviour, you should reach out to the persons, admit your error and ask for a review of "lesson learnt" from that incident. When you're sharing the lessons you've learnt, try to avoid justifying your reaction because of the stimuli. Instead, explain how the stimuli could result in the kind of reaction you had but that you recognize that you didn't necessarily have to react that way. On a personal note, review why you had such a violent reaction to the stimuli and treat the root causes. There is NEVER a justification for violence..."
Today, we'll try to explore that question a bit more, assuming the reader is the customer/boss and the other party is a contractor/vendor/subordinate.
If in the course of transacting business with someone that is a contractor/vendor/subordinate you lose your temper and react violently, you SHOULD apologize. If you've misjudged their intent and responded harshly, you should apologize. It is the proper thing to do. As I noted in my response above, there is NEVER a justification for violence. It is NEVER okay to treat another human being with disrespect. The golden rule applies in nurturing work relationships.
"So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 7:12
Please share your views and experiences.

Building Effective Business/Career Relationships (2)

Good day people. How are you doing? Happy new month. 
Today, we'll continue with the series "Building Effective Business/Career Relationships".
Last week, we talked about identifying and nurturing key business/career relationships. I hope you've used some of these tips (or others)? Please share the stories, if you don't mind, to encourage others.
Let's talk a bit more about NURTURING WORK RELATIONSHIPS.
After identifying key relationships that have the greatest potential to impact your career/business, you should be deliberate about nurturing these relationships. I have a few nurturing tips to share. I hope Tentmakers will share a few more tips.
1. Pray about these work relationships. As believers, we should pray about EVERYTHING, including our business and career relationships. Ask God to open your eyes to see opportunities to build these relationships positively.
A colleague and I had a STRONG difference of opinions. I was torn between escalating the issue to management or just allowing him have his way. None of the options were acceptable to me as the consequences were equally terrible. I decided to take a break and just pray about the matter (and other issues). By the time I returned to my seat, I saw an email from my colleague. He had agreed to do what I proposed. Eventually, we reached an equitable agreement (I'll share more about that below).
2. Be willing to shift ground and find a WIN-WIN solution.
Of course, be clear about your ethics and principles. However, if you are open enough, you'll find that in many situations, you can find an arrangement that works for you and your boss/colleague/client/customer.
My colleague and I both had to shift ground to find a relationship that works. I tried to understand his perspective by LISTENING to his words and more. I have learnt to listen MORE and talk less. After he agreed to do what I proposed, I explored all available opportunities, including going back to our client, to try his own proposal. Eventually, his proposal is what we fell back on with a few edits here and there. Our team is outperforming other teams and we've all been rewarded at least twice recently.
3. Build trust in your work relationships.
I realised that my colleague's issue was that he didn't trust that I had his best interests at heart. I also realised that I just expected him to trust me without earning/proving it. So, I took advantage of every opportunity I had to prove to him that I "had his back".
4. Build mutual respect in your work relationships.
One other missing ingredient in this work relationship was respect. I deliberately started asking for his professional opinion, even on matters that I KNEW the answer.
I've deliberately focused on my relationship with a colleague. These tips work (and have worked for me) in nurturing most, if not all, business relationships (and even marriages/romantic relationships). I know there's more to share on NURTURING WORK/BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS.
Please share your views and experiences.