| When managers work closely with team | | | | the team. |
| members, the exciting relationship that builds is | | | | This is usually caused by fear and other emotions, |
| value-creating on both sides. Greater productivity | | | | like jealousy or frustration and more. |
| and performance being the most likely outcomes | | | | Managers need to watch for the reluctance of |
| for the manager, whilst career development and | | | | individuals to get more involved. By ensuring that |
| a much better working experience for an | | | | everyone in the team gets the same treatment, |
| employee - just two examples for each that can | | | | this issue usually resolves itself. |
| come from working well together. | | | | Other Line Managers |
| There are challenges enough for those two to | | | | Managers are frequently encouraged to work in |
| get together productively, with both sides needing | | | | some bizarre ways by their colleagues, who might |
| to have the intention to succeed in how they | | | | have experiences that are set in quite different |
| interact, as well as being able to work to come | | | | circumstances and with different people and |
| closer together to create the right environment. | | | | situations involved. |
| That said, theirs will not be the only influences | | | | Managers need to understand that they will |
| that will come to bear, despite this seemingly | | | | create relationships best, when they are being at |
| being a one-to-one relationship. We are all shaped | | | | their most authentic with themselves and not feel |
| by our whole environment and it's likely that these | | | | obliged to 'do it their way'. |
| 'external' influences will need consideration and the | | | | Being able to stand up and develop their own |
| working relationship progresses. | | | | strategies takes courage and, from time to time, |
| So, just who could be implicated in how two | | | | the occasional failure. this is all part of |
| people interact, apart from those individuals | | | | management self-development and is a very |
| themselves? Here are some possibilities:- | | | | worthwhile exercise! |
| Family and Friends | | | | |
| This can present some of the most difficult | | | | External Business Contacts |
| challenges. | | | | There may be times where the impact of other |
| In such cases, employees can be influenced into | | | | business contacts can affect the way that |
| working in certain ways by others who, variously, | | | | managers get on with their team. |
| may not have the full picture; will have had very | | | | Sometimes such extraneous influences can be |
| different work experiences; and ultimately, just be | | | | hard to pick up on and adjust in favor of your |
| unwilling to go half way to work well with other | | | | own activities. |
| people, especially managers who are trying hard | | | | The key here is to be good at creating good |
| to make things work better. | | | | working relationships with all of your people, all of |
| Managers need to acknowledge such pressures | | | | the time, so that anyone affected by external |
| and ensure that whatever they do to make | | | | influencers can see that the 'home way' is best |
| workplace relationships better, the external | | | | and then they are likely to gradually fall in line. |
| influences can be very robust. It's not to give up | | | | These are a few of the possibilities - and there |
| on at all, indeed these workplace experiences | | | | may be more. The key element here is to |
| might be a breath of fresh air to the person they | | | | remember that whilst two individuals might wish |
| are trying to be creative with. It might take time. | | | | to create a much more positive working |
| Having a consistent approach with all team | | | | relationship, there will be underlying and sometimes |
| members will help, so that those facing this | | | | even unconscious thought processes that can |
| particular issue will be encouraged to overcome | | | | take time to overcome. |
| other prejudices, to dig in and take the risk of | | | | Great working relationships are hugely valuable, |
| trying on better working relationships with | | | | not just to a manager who can get more out of |
| supervisors or managers. | | | | their team, but, when working well, to each single |
| Other Colleagues | | | | individual who is on the other side of the desk, in |
| When two individuals are working together to build | | | | the personal reward and development, not to |
| a better working relationship, this can be | | | | mention exciting and motivating work, that they |
| influenced by the shared perceptions of others in | | | | can experience too. |