By Jeff Hough
Recently I climbed Mt. Borah, the highest peak in Idaho, with my oldest son. Against his wishes we started out before dawn with the goal of being close to the summit when the sun came up. It was a clear night and the stars lit our path as we wound our way through the darkened forest.
Neither of us spoke much as we worked our way up the side of the mountain. The silent majesty of the mountain and the valley below us began to unfold as the darkness gave way to the new day. At each pause we sat and looked across the valley and marveled in silence at the beauty before us.
We made a high ridge-line just as the sun began to peek over the horizon. We sat in silence as the first rays of the day warmed our faces and bathed the scene in a beautiful golden glow. After a few minutes, we shouldered our packs and resumed our bid for the summit.
In many ways, life is like climbing a mountain. From the moment of birth, life is about the relationships we develop. Much of the success or failure that occurs in our lives is due to those relationships. They not only give us a foundation to stand on, they give us a place to turn when things happen or we need inspiration.
In the workplace, the relationships we develop are critical. For many people, the hours spent at work exceed the time spent with family or friends. This creates an interesting dynamic because most people don’t get to pick who they work with. This relationship lottery can have a tremendous impact engagement and productivity.
In his book, “The No Asshole Rule,” Robert Sutton tells the story of a department that developed a fantastic working chemistry. They did it by creating a checklist of desirable traits for anyone they sought to hire.
As people would come and go in the department, the group worked to ensure they chose individuals who fit that checklist. For many years they enjoyed a tight camaraderie in which office politics were non-existent. Their department’s productivity was the best in the company.
The primary complaint of many leaders is dealing with an endless stream of Human Resource issues. While it may be impossible to remove disputes between individuals completely, creating the right environment and developing the right relationships solves many issues.
The relationship building process begins during the onboarding phase of a new employee. The sooner you can reach out to the new employee, the better the chance of building a strong relationship. Some companies have started reaching out to new hires before they start. They reach out to welcome new individuals and let them know what to expect the first few days on the job. Their relationship building process begins immediately.
One of the best things a leader can do to build relationships is to manage by walking around. Greg was one of the greatest bosses that I ever had, taking time each day to walk around and visit with one or two people.
The conversations involved family or the team members’ current activities. Frequently, Greg asked for input on issues and shared his concerns or worries with us. This practice helped build one of the highest producing offices in the company. Our team had zero HR issues for almost two years.
As my son and I stood on top of Mt. Borah, I realized that our relationship, just like positive work relationships, played a big part in our success that day. Being there together heightened the joy of the moment.
Creating a work environment filled with positive relationships is like climbing the mountain. There are many ups and downs and a lot of hard work, but the view from the top is worth the effort.
Jeff Hough is a business author, blogger and speaker in Pocatello.
