You just need to be smart and work hard to be successful; the biggest lie one could tell you! Here’s what you really need to know about succeeding in the workplace; relationships and understanding psychology of people will get you much farther than hard work ever will. Note that we are not saying that hard work is not important; it’s more that the two factors (hard work and relationship building) play an equal role in business success.
Building relationships
In business, people like to talk a lot about networking, but I like to think of “networking” more as business relationships. To me, networking creates a vibe that you are building a list of names that can help you, when in reality; you should be meeting people who you can help. This is key. For instance, if you call up a banker in NYC and he gets coffee with you, you should not be thinking “how can this guy get me a job” but rather what skills do I have that can help this guys life become easier? In this light, you will seem less like a parasite when you meet him, and more like a potential resource of hard work and ambition.
Building relationships is simply done by finding people who you admire and who have similar ambitions or life goals to you, and connect with them on a personal level. Note that this should be natural. For example, if you are an aspiring singer, and you see Jennifer Lopez perform – then you should think “wow, I would love to ask her about her background and struggles making it, and how she became successful.” Not “ hey Id love to pick her brain and use her to get to success.” You need to focus on the other person in order to build a relationship successfully, and keep in mind that relationships that lasts must benefit two parties mutually over time.
Why build relationships: Mentorship
The bottom line here is that, if you are adding a lot of value to someone else’s life, then they will be happy to help you and mentor (after you have helped them) that is the key point to remember here. You must focus on helping other people and adding value outside of your own interests, before you consider helping yourself. Think of every successful person that you know, and ask yourself; is that person adding a lot of value to the world? The answer 100% of the time will be yes. We cannot become extremely successful or wealthy without impacting the lives of millions of people in some way. Remember that fact and you are well on your way to success!
Happiness
Building relationships with those that you work with will in turn make you happier at work, as you will be happy to be around your co-workers each day. Although there will certainly be competition between yourself and co-workers, you should try to build deep friendships, as they will be mutually beneficial in the long-term.
In the end, and you have heard the phrase before, relationships are everything. That is why it makes sense to be kind and peaceful with everyone, because practicing this good nature will help you build lasting and genuine relationships long term, which will only add value to you life.