Having a corner of people supporting you is integral for anyone in the workplace. In today’s episode of IntHerrupt, Linda is joined by author and course creator Coni Meyers to discuss the power of building alliances in the workplace (without jeopardizing existing relationships.)
What is an alliance?
An alliance is a collaborative effort between people who bring out your or your organization’s strengths.
It takes a village to do anything. Building alliances help you shape your leadership skills and be your best self.
Coni was once in a business partnership with a guy who got very involved with drugs. When she left, Coni discovered she wasn’t on the major contracts she thought they were partners in, and he took her for a quarter of a million dollars.
Three ways we can build an alliance:
Listen to your gut. If it’s an individual or a business, you must have complete faith that they’re authentic.
Identify if it’s a short-term or long-term relationship. If it’s short-term, what is your exit strategy?
As you move into an alliance, have an open conversation about what you can offer the other person to support them (and vice versa.)
Honoring past relationships while moving forward:
Don’t negate past experiences, but accept that you’ve grown beyond the old relationship because everything happens for a reason.
There’s a silver lining in every situation. For example, people began to see the gifts of humanity because of COVID.
Don’t project past negative relationships onto new relationships. Use caution to approach alliances responsibly. While it can probably be taken too far, naively entering a relationship is just as, if not more, dangerous.
Relationships are a garden.
Relationships are not all in bloom the entire year. Understand that alliances with different people and businesses will grow and take precedence at certain times over others.
Be mindful when burning bridges. While there are certainly times it can happen, moving with integrity is the best way to move forward.
For more great content from Coni, visit her profile on LinkedIn and view her books available on Amazon. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.
