Relationships are key.
I’d say about 30% op my work is content, and 70% is interaction,
building and maintaining relationships.
So it’s important to be aware of different cultures and customs.
You have to be able to understand people, different organisations,
and react to them appropriately.
People want you to respect diversity, and to treat them in a fair way.
I think about half of my time is spent on networking.
It’s key if you want your job to go smoothly.
I am always building new relationships, staying ‘in the loop’ so I can recognise
new business opportunities as they arise and act fast.
Listening is probably the most important skill for anyone in a leadership position.
I’ve spent so many hours managing conflicts, mediating between different stakeholders,
getting them in line with our strategic direction.
For this to be possible, people have to trust you,
see you as dependable.
I am a great believer in empowering others, in giving stakeholders freedom,
autonomy, allowing them to solve problems themselves,
and in new ways.
In recent big projects I made it a priority to measure improvement,
not just for the bottom-line results, but on multiple dimensions,
also analysing relationships between stakeholders, and the impact that certain decisions have
on the stakeholders involved.
So yes, relationships are key