PRU 2010: Andy Robinson - The Importance of Personal Relationships

Andy Robinson of the CRG Leadership Institute LLC presented strategies and tactics on why it is important to tap into your personal relationships.His executive coaching focus is helping executives, business owners and leaders achieve and substation incredible career success. He also helps his clients to love what they do for a living.

The Other “PR” – Personal Relationships
What are they?
Why are they so important?
How do you develop and optimize them?

“Relationships are everything” - Brian Tracey, Personal Success Guru

“Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows” - Ben Stein, Actor, Lawyer, Writer

The “Wake-Up Call”: You have to be proactive about developing, strengthening, and deepening my personal relationships.

Personal Relationships by his definition:  friends, current colleagues, vendors, family, former colleagues, business partners, college alumni, clients and advisors. If you were to put circle around the ones that are true personal relationships, it will include friends and family, but the others will be on the edges/borders, some closer into the circle and some further out. The more you bring them into the circle the better, because you are improving your personal relationships.

The Relationship Pyramid
You are at the top
Inner Circle (one level closer to you than just personal relationships)
Personal Relationships
Non-personal Business Relationship Acquaintenances
Names and faces that you see out and about in the world around you
Everyone else

You want to move as many people up the pyramid as possible.

Andy's definition of personal relationships includes:

• Friendly cordial, respectful relationship
• Relatively frequent bilateral or unilateral communication
• Very likely to know certain details of each other’s personal life
• Share an interest or otherwise have something in common
• You do not mind asking them for a favor
• Would very likely give you a business reference or recommendation, if applicable
• You frequently “give” to them in some way
• You have no problem asking them for business and vice versa

Why are personal relationships so important?

• Advice, counsel and sounding board. You can seek this information out from these people
• They offer an amazing platform for learning, personal development, and professional development
• They can refer resources to us. Whether it is at work or home, plumber, IT, etc.
• They offer a constant stream of new business opportunities.
• They are very willing to spin positive PR for you in the marketplace. They will tell others great things about you
• They are a significant source of career opportunity referrals
• They are your advocates, cheerleaders, and VIP Influencers. They will stand up for you and tow the line for you
• They are a “friendly” ear to listen and be there for you. Sometimes you don’t want advice; you just need someone to listen to.
• They offer fellowship, comradery and personal fulfillment.
• They provide leverage to get things done – they willingly tap THEIR own network for you.

How do you develop personal relationships and optimize them?

Desired Outcomes:
Expand and Broaden
Deepen and Strengthen

5 master strategies to expand and deepen personal realtionships:

1. Give first, and give often in sync with your key branding elements. It is not always giving a present. You can share relevant and useful information. Making yourself available just to listen and offering advice when they ask for it. Celebrate milestones with them, send birthday or holiday cards, or sending a newsletter or note on a regular basis. Be a positive influence, lift others spirits.
2. Connect, refer and recommend others. Be that person in your network that connects other people together.
3. Communicate frequently and ongoing. If people don’t hear from you on a frequent basis, then how will you stay on their radar. They have to know you are out there somehow. Create a newsletter, or utilize status updates on social media. Send a just “checking in” email. Share your own good news with people, it brings them closer to you. Call occasionally to say hello.
4. Embrace social media and immerse yourself in the medium. You have to immerse yourself in it because it is becoming a mainstream of communication. Get active in it, LinkedIn is a good example of one that needs to be used if you are a business person. Facebook is a bit more open, and be active on Twitter. Expand your network, it doesn’t work if you only have 3 connections. Avoid “brand” confusion. If you are using it for business, make sure to always use the same type of message. Develop a strategy on what and how you will do it.
5. You have to have quality and meaningful personal interactions. It is not just about sitting behind a computer. You have to have personal interaction with them.

The next step is to take action!

Commit to a 30-day plan:

• Write down 3 goals that you will commit to in the next 30 days.
• Write down 2 actions that you will do in the next week that is focused on one of those three goals.
• Write down 1 thing that you will do before the end of the day today that will expand or strengthen your personal relationship.

Habits are what it is all about. Embrace excellent personal relationship habits. Try to ingrain a habit. Personal relationships create magic, but you have to have a habit behind it. They are simple but powerful.

Guest blogger:  Jessica Clark, APR, Shell Point Retirement Community, JessicaClark@shellpoint.org