What Relationship Are You in?

When we DARE to FLY, we need other people to ensure our success...we can't succeed without other people....it's all about relationships!

Relationships are key to our well-being and fulfillment, as well as drive our need to create value as leaders. I'm talking about all relationships, whether they're our colleagues, employees or employers, our customers or clients, our vendors or suppliers, our friends and family.

In the D.A.R.E. to FLY process, Relationships are the "R" domain. Let's go through the entire process just around relationships, because this is the area fraught with the most opportunity, and challenge, for growth.

D - First, Discover what relationship you are in. You may be in several relationships at one time. You may be the employer/manager/leader, as well as friend, or mentor, or member of a sports team or church.

Questions to ask yourself about your professional relationships:

• Which relationship is in play in this situation? (e.g. You're the boss, and are asking for clear accountability, or you're friends sharing intimate feelings) It's really important to make these distinctions, and communicate them clearly. Confusion only gets the water muddy, and relationships may be irreparably damaged without that clarity.
• What is the most important aspect of relationship to you with this person? If you need the specialized skills and competencies of your accountant, know that. If you require the "rain-maker" to bring sales into your company, know that. If you want to preserve family loyalty or the intimacy of a confidant, know that.
• What do you envision this relationship to be in 2 years, 5 years? This is especially important when you are hiring employees or professionals to help you grow. If you have a job description that will work today, but you envision that position expanding into more responsibility and a greater scope of influence, do you hire someone for now only, or someone with the potential to grow into the future?
• Is this relationship worth the time, effort and energy you need to put into it? Sometimes a relationship has surpassed its ability to enhance your life, business or both. Regular assessment will help you reevaluate the scope of this relationship, and cultivate it when its worth it, or opt to relieve the stress of a relationship that has run its course.

A - Then be Aware of your body language and Access your personal power in the relationship. Check in with your intuition about what's going on with you...as well as that person. Observe your body language...check in with your gut, your intuition. Do the same with the other person. Your body doesn't lie...neither does the other person's. Trusting your truth, and accessing it, is where your power really lives, and this is where courage first emerges.

R - Be in the relationship. Give it all you've got! Cultivate it. This is all about people skills, and relating to others. Design conversations to influence the people who may help you. Design conversations to impact outcomes. Design conversations to cultivate future leaders. Design conversations to clarify, correct, hold accountable or perhaps release people from their relationship with you.

E - Everything Else in your Environment supports your relationships. When is email the appropriate mode of communication? Or when is it better to text? Is picking up the telephone the best way to connect with a certain someone for a specific reason? Is a face to face meeting the best way to collaborate? What systems need to be implemented to maximize the benefit of each and every relationship? This takes time and effort, because each person wants to feel special, and how you interact with them, and the frequency of that contact, will surely impact your bond. Timing is important too! Accountability is time-bound, so effective follow-up will build trust. Time...money...technology...education...other outside forces, all affect the quality of every relationship.

When you DARE to FLY, flying is where you set your intentions and goals, then take strategic actions to achieve them. What are your goals around the relationships in your life? These may not be measurable, as in "how many by when", but that may be the case when you're building community or making cold calls. I'm referring to the qualitative goals of being in relationship. How might you measure trust? How might you turn a prospect into a profitable customer? How might you cultivate a team member into an emerging leader? Being specific around your flight pattern will most certainly result in flying high...even soaring!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6137953

saturday night live los angeles times giro d italia little miss sunshine samoa