Four Ways to Have Great Work Relationships

We tend to approach relationships at work with trepidation. Particularly in professional offices - medical, veterinarian, optometrists, dentists, holistic clinics, chiropractors... These are places where the success of the practice is built on the quality of the staff. Staff growth is largely a function of practice growth; modest turnover and high morale are major objectives.
It is rare to have coaches operate in this under served environment: tools, yes - coaching - no. I have been coaching professional staffs for some time.

Here are a few of the things I've learned that are most useful

1. And I think most valuable: acknowledgment -This does not mean "compliment;" it does not mean flatter. It simply means to say what's there to be said. "Thanks for doing your job." "I notice you've been staying a few minutes longer." And so on. Management rarely, if ever, acknowledges staff (except at bonus time or special occasions. Staff almost never acknowledges management. What neither realizes is that acknowledgment changes attitudes, even transforms relations. Acknowledgment causes trust.

2. It's often useful when making requests - particularly of management, to use the catch phrase, WIIFM - What's In It For Me. Whoever you're asking will respond to you, if you answer that question for them. In other words, how do they listen to you?

3. It's also useful to ask permission. When you want to say something that could be interpreted poorly, ask permission. Before you ask permission, there's intrusion, aggressiveness. After you've gotten permission, you can say anything freely.
You can also give yourself permission. For example, at meetings, you can say, "I just want to say I'm nervous,..." This allows you not to worry about how you sone, or if you look good.

4. Here's another tip that is fabulous, but hard to act on. Don't take what's said personally, no matter how it sounds. You don't know What's going on in their life, what upset they are dealing with, what you reminded them of. I promise there is always something else. Don't react as if they are responding to you. They are not.

Michael Lipp, coaches professionals to have great staffs and staffs to have great practices. He gives teleseminare called Relationships at Work (next one coming April 30th) and sells an e-Course called The Principles of Relationships and the Laws that have them Work. Find out more on his website http://www.michaellipp.com/michaelsreadingroom/index.html or write to him, michael@michaellipp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_F_Lipp