#GirlBoss Series: How to Build Solid Relationships with Your Coworkers
Let me begin this that I am not the best person to talk about building relationships in the workplace. I've had my share of women {and men} I have not gotten along with, most of which I have just dusted off and let go. Office relationships can be tricky: You don't want to kiss everybody's ass but you also don't want to not have a strong relationship capital.
"I came here to work, not make friends," was my statement some years ago and I'd say it wasn't exactly a gospel truth. I realize now, after 10 years and counting of working and being in the corporate environment, spending at least 8 hours with people you see everyday, you would want a couple, or more people who would catch your back and whose back you would catch, too. In that decade of experience, I find that the most enjoyable of careers were the ones where I worked with people whom I've built great working relationships, friendships I treasure up to now, some I've exposed some of my vulnerabilities, too. A challenging career is one thing, but I find that friendships made in the workplace are golden.
1. Know your shit and be awesome at it. One of the most important lessons I learned as a young writer was to know my job, everything inside and outside of it. When you know your craft inside and out, it'll be very hard to hate you -- and you will earn the respect of your peers and admiration of your superiors.
2. Don't be the office's Gossip Girl. Nobody likes a gossip -- and most likely, if you tell anybody bad stuff about somebody, you're most likely to lose everybody's trust. If you catch yourself in the presence of one, don't comment and excuse yourself. Walk away.
3. Be a team player. At one point in your career, you will come across a chance where you will have to save your face and admit that your co worker was at fault. I don't know what other belief is there but I don't subscribe to the idea of throwing other people in front of the bus. No matter how much I want to save my face, I make it a point that I am united with my team in the face of other people. And then we fix the problem internally. This leads me to my next pointer:
4. Praise in public and criticize in private. So you found a mistake in your colleague's work --- resist the urge to reply to all and prove your grammar expertise. If you want, you may email your colleague in private or pull her aside when you go for a water cooler chat to tell her of the mistake. Not only is telling it in public tacky, it makes you look like a negative person, and if you do it constantly, it would be very hard to find someone on your side.
5. Participate in team activities. I once made this mistake, of standing out too much in the office culture. In my head, I was not there to make friends so I avoided socializing and going out with them. I ended up being the subject of many office politicking schemes and ended up leaving. I wouldn't say it was entirely because of that but I sure could've built more relationships from my end.
6. Start random acts of kindness. I really like giving gifts to colleagues, it's an instant pick me upper --- especially when people are stressed out and busy. On some days, try to buy someone coffee, a bagel or salad. It's fun!
Any tips? xx