If you like having friends, then why aren’t you try to make more of them in the world of business? Friends give us support, guidance, and truth. Aren’t these qualities you’d like more of in your work life? Then perhaps you need to engage in a brand of networking that’s designed to produce friends rather than acquaintances.
To achieve this goal, you may need to adjust the way you think about people. To develop these deeper relationships, follow these tips:
When Things Go Well
When a friend does well in business, celebrate the success. Typically a big success comes after a great deal of hard work or overcoming obstacles. Those who succeed should be saluted.
Resist the whisperings of jealousy. This happens when you may feel that someone may not have earned their success, may have relied on the expertise of others, or just stumbled into good fortune. This can happen.
Keep in mind there are those times when someone did a great job and nothing happened. Sometimes life isn’t fair so cheer the times when someone is on top.
When Time are Tough You’re Still There
Adversity is a true test of friendship and in many cases friends disappear when times are tough.
Bad times are when people need friends the most. This is not your opportunity to decide whether you should back off, instead of voicing your support. Friendship is a swimming pool, where the only way to get into the water is to perform a cannonball.
Be Honest
Support decisions that your friends make but be willing to tell them when you think that they are wrong. It’s a lot easier to stay silent but is that helping the other person?
How many boneheaded business decisions could have been prevented if the person making the decision had people who would honestly answer the question, “Is this a good idea?”
There’s always a chance that the other person will resent you for your honesty. That’s a risk you need to take if you ever want to earn unconditional support from a friend. Think of it like this: An acquaintance says, “You look great.” A friend will say, “Your zipper is open.”
Have Vision
A friend sees you as the person you wish to become and supports you as you try to become that person.
They will also remind you when you are getting away from that vision.
Bottom Line: A rewarding, friendship requires a high level of commitment and honesty. It’s a price worth paying if you want to take networking a new level.
