I met Ed Wallace, founder of The Relational Capital Group, in a networking manner five years ago and read his first book. His most recent book really helped me take the knowledge of hierarchical relationships (we all have friends but few trusted advisors), and that is true even in the business world. Since I handle finance, HR, and key partnerships for my firm, building relationships is critical, and I always look for tips, techniques, and tools to help me manage relationships. It’s an easy read, perfect for the beach and something that can be applied in and out of the office.
“Ed Wallace combines memorable anecdotes with a clear theoretical framework that shows individuals how to leverage their hard business skills with the often-overlooked soft skills of relationship building.”
In this edition of “Ask Dr. Mark,” featured in Tribune newspapers, Ed Wallace shares some helpful tips for a person who is new to building relationships.
Credibility is the quality that makes others believe in you, your words and actions. Credibility is the gatekeeper quality. If you don’t first establish credibility and competence with your prospect or client, you will struggle to create anything more than a transactional relationship.
Relational GPS: The Road Map to Outstanding Business Relationships
“Instead of just wishing that better business contacts would magically appear in your professional life, drive the business contacts you’ve already established to more productive and rewarding levels. The initial step of pinpointing your core relationships will lead you toward participating with an actual person rather than with a digital line in a CRM system or on Linked In. A process, however, for driving your core relationships to success, is also vital. I call this process understanding your contact’s Relational GPS.”
