Build Stronger Relationships in 15 Days: What You Need To Know

Plus: Position yourself for a promotion in 15 days

Clichés often have some basis in truth, and the old adage “it’s all about who you know” is no exception. At a time when 85% of all jobs are filled through connections and employees with friends at work are more likely to be engaged in their careers, strong professional relationships are key in getting your foot in the door and a leg up the ladder. Whether you’re a recent college graduate with just a handful of off-campus contacts or a seasoned professional looking to elevate your decades-old relationships, we want to help you strengthen the quality of your network.

Day 1: Rethink relationships

So you want to build stronger professional relationships? It's an admirable goal to have, but to truly succeed in elevating your relationships—whether they're decades old or brand new—you must embrace an others-focused outlook.

Day 2: Establish your goals

Strong professional relationships aren't just nice-to-haves. Whether you're searching for a new job or looking to climb the corporate ladder, it's the relationships you have (or don't have) that are going to make the difference. But before you go off and submit dozens of LinkedIn requests, establish your goals.

Day 3: Boost your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence, or the ability to recognize and regulate your emotions, is critical to developing and maintaining relationships. While some people are born with naturally high emotional intelligence, everyone could use to hone theirs, and these seven strategies will help you do just that.

Day 4: Refine your communication skills

Every word you utter will either help you connect more deeply with others, or build a wedge between you. The key is to gain greater awareness, choice and intention in how and why you're communicating.

Day 5: Practice active listening

The ability to present yourself in a compelling way is key to relationship-building, but the most impressive introduction will mean next to nothing if you don't follow it up by really hearing what the other person has to say.

Day 6: Put your most authentic foot forward

If you want to build genuine relationships, you must embrace and put forth your most authentic self. These five practices will help you communicate with meaning, demonstrate your humanity and refrain from passing judgement.

Day 7: Maximize your existing relationships

With the right networking strategy, your existing relationships can deliver the career security, promotion or job you want. Kick off your winning strategy by thinking broadly about your network.

Day 8: Pay attention to the little things

Sometimes, it's the smallest things that can make the biggest impression. Something as simple as making the coffee each morning can go a long way toward laying the groundwork for new relationships.

Day 9: Give before you get

No one enters a relationship without wanting something in return, but you cannot expect to take unless you have something to give. Here’s how to add value to every relationship you have.

Day 10: Make human connections in the digital age

Building meaningful professional relationships is more difficult to do in the virtual world, but it's not impossible. Follow these three steps to forge strong, enduring relationships online.

Day 11: Consider different forms of networking

When it comes to networking, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Not everyone likes to connect in the same way, at the same frequency or about the same things. For practical reasons you need to embrace different forms of networking.

Day 12: Step out of your comfort zone

If building a network of strong relationships was easy, more people would do it. Not only does building relationships take time—it takes courage. Whether you prefer to spend your evenings home or you're a serial socialite, the key is learning to get comfortable with what makes you uncomfortable.

Day 13: Become a mentee and a mentor

Whether you're at the bottom or the top of the corporate ladder, every professional can benefit from the guidance of a mentor. While we can all learn a great deal as mentees, it can be just as beneficial to serve as a mentor.

Day 14: Learn to navigate conflict

Even the best of relationships is bound to go through turbulent times. What matters, though, is how you handle the challenges you and your colleagues face.

Day 15: Keep building

With refined communication skills at the ready and a host of networking opportunities marked on your calendar, you’re well on your way to building the strong relationships you need to succeed in your career. But simply making connections just isn’t enough—now you must strive to sustain them.