In a survey of top companies, The Insights Group found that developing productive relationships was considered to be one of the ten greatest business challenges. This could involve both internal and external relationships.
Insights Discovery uses a four colour model, comprised of Cool Blue, Fiery Red, Earth Green and Sunshine Yellow energies, to describe people’s strengths, styles and team contributions. Everyone has all four energies, although no one is strong in all four, and the unique combination of these helps to determine why we think each and behave the way we do.
A key part of ensuring that you have productive business relationships is to establish them before you need them. A neighbour you have never met before is less likely to lend you a cup of sugar or jump leads for your car than someone you have lived next to for 10 years and interact with on a daily basis. The Earth Green part of you enables you to offer the hand of friendship and develop high levels of trust. By forming and maintaining a reliable business network, you are more likely to have contacts you need, when you need them.
Using Earth Green and Sunshine Yellow energies can also be key in maintaining good workplace relationships. Sometimes overlooked as contributing to employee engagement, relationships with colleagues and line managers are essential. Research conducted by the Society for Human Research Management in 2015 found that 92% of respondents rated relationships with co-workers, and 95% rated their relationship with their immediate supervisor, as important to their level of job satisfaction. A team that knows and understands each other well is more likely to work well together.
Productive Relationships.
An individual that leads with Sunshine Yellow energy, with a naturally outgoing personality, may be best positioned to attend networking events and establish new contacts. In the absence of such a team member, someone who can use Sunshine Yellow energy may be able to dial up this colour energy to fulfil a more socially interactive role than they may naturally assume. Collaborating with a contact who offers a complementary service may be a great new way generate leads. For example, a wedding photographer and florist may work to recommend each other’s businesses to clients, helping to create a whole new client base.
An individual that leads with Fiery Red energy may be suited to more formal and business-like interactions. They are likely to focus on results and concentrate their time and energy on the people that they identify to be the key stakeholders and influencers in a situation. This can be beneficial in ensuring that conversations are with decision makers, enabling leads to be converted to business.
However, they could also engage with their Cool Blue energy to be consistent and precise, enabling a business to deliver on its promises. This helps to build a level of trust with a contemporary or client that is key in generating recommendations.
Performance – Workplace Development is a Licensed Distributor for Insights Discovery®. Need to know more? Check out our Insights Discovery® page for ways in which we could help you.
