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Spheres of Influence
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Spheres of Influence

How to Create and Nurture Authentic Business Relationships

Brad Englert
Fast Company Press, 2024
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Traditional business networking is often “transactional, shallow, and short-lived.” People tend to promote their careers or products instead of building connections or exploring new horizons. Adviser and technologist Brad Englert warns that you can’t build good business relationships that way, or solely through hang-outs and social media “likes.” Instead, he urges you to cultivate authentic connections. Englert reinforces the critical role of developing and sustaining professional relationships for those launching or sustaining careers of every kind. 

Summary

Build and sustain positive relationships with your supervisors and leaders.

To help your organization, your team, and your career succeed, develop positive, productive relationships with your supervisors.

Certain supervisors are poor communicators, but if you do not understand their intentions or desires, you must take responsibility for asking clarifying questions. Try to grasp your supervisor’s immediate and overall goals. If you don’t think you understand how to proceed, ask intelligent questions until you do.

You have your job because you provide something your organization needs – but if you don’t know specifically what your boss is seeking, you could waste everyone’s time, including your own. Ask questions that enable you to align your goals with your supervisor’s.

Be honest with yourself about your strengths and flaws. Recognize how you prefer to work – whether solo or as part of a team, or focusing on one project at a time versus handling a variety of tasks. As you navigate and adapt to your supervisor’s work habits and rhythms, reconcile your approach as necessary.

Make sure you understand your supervisor’s expectations – especially when ...

About the Author

Brad Englert founded Brad Englert Advisory. He worked for Accenture for more than two decades, and served as chief information officer at the University of Texas at Austin.

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