Strategies for Building Effective Relationships - Research Paper Example

Introduction Basic leadership skills and building effective relationships in an organization are vital for success. The position of a ‘Product Development Project Leader’ entails for several leadership skills such as innovativeness, high emotional intelligence, building effective relationships with peers and superiors, visionary, communication ability, empathy, and getting along with the people are foremost. The leader also needs to identify strengths and weaknesses of the organization and accordingly create an environment in which people can support each other. With the appointment of the new project leader, it becomes necessary that the company CEO communicates to all departmental chiefs and apprise them about the responsibility, purpose and role of the new project leader explicitly. While the company revenues are dwindling significantly, it is utmost necessary that the company develops a new product to increase its market share and revenue. Official communication from the CEO of the company makes everyone serious on this new appointment realizing that this is not merely an academic exercise but a serious task initiated by the company management for its future survival. It is equally important to make others know that everyone’s survival is largely tied up with the success of this new project. As the CEO of the company sets the ball rolling, it would be entirely, now onwards, incumbent on the project leader to demonstrate his or her leadership skills to accomplish the assigned task successfully. Innovation is a key for survival. While developing a new product, one must keep in mind that it fulfills customers’ needs at an affordable cost. At the same time, customers must be able to distinguish the product from the competition with several notable features inbuilt with it. In short, the product must be able to carve a suitable niche for itself in the market place. While developing a new product that customers find appealing, the project leader must begin with a brainstorming session involving people from the various departments – asking their ideas, views and suggestions. The discussion and debate should revolve around the following questions. How existing products fail to meet customers’ needs? Is it possible to add new features in the existing product or entirely a new product needs to be developed? Where do the company’s products stand in comparison to competition in terms of overall acceptability? While marketing department’s feedback will help ascertain the key features required in a new product, the design department will help develop a product with those features. Developing a product with good aesthetics is also the responsibility of the design department. The costing department will put its efforts in keeping the cost as low as possible because that is the mantra for enhancing its acceptability. While marketing department emphasizes on ‘optimal pricing of the product’ as one of the essential requirements, the production and process department of the company will assess whether the current setup of machineries and equipment is sufficient to produce a new product commercially or any further investment on capital equipment is required. If additional investment is necessary, the finance department will have to explore whether it is feasible to manage those funds at all and if yes, then at what cost? The point is that while developing a new product, the project leader needs to coordinate with numerous departments and extract their expertise successfully. It is indeed a challenging job as none of the department directly reports the project leader. The project leader needs to exhibit exemplary leadership qualities to complete the task given by the company management. He needs to resolve conflict situation that may arise time to time between the departments of the company and their office-bearers, especially when it is known that the last project leader failed to resolve conflicting situations with peer managers and supervisors. Essential Leadership Skills Certain leadership traits are essential, though they are not enough, to develop effective leadership. They can be described as desire and motivation to lead, integrity, self-confidence, intelligence, subject matter knowledge, and drive derived from motivation and energy. Though the project leader may have these skills, and competencies, that cannot make leadership effective. For example, intelligence is considered one of the essential skills necessary in leaders; however, intelligence itself cannot make leaders effective (Nahavandi, 2009 p.121). In past few decades, a new perspective in the concept of intelligence is added and that is known as ‘Emotional Intelligence’ (Nahavandi, 2009). The new findings describe that the social and interpersonal aspect of intelligence are equally important for success. All successful leaders have the ability to satisfy emotional needs of followers, motivate and inspire by interacting well with them. It will be appropriate to identify the various components of emotional intelligence along with how they can help for becoming an effective leader (Nahavandi, 2009). a) Self-awareness A way back, Lao Tsu said, "He who knows himself is more intelligent"(Nahavandi, p. 110). Self-awareness is crucial for successful leaders; and remaining conscious to it helps them control their feelings and emotions. b) Self-motivation Leaders always exhibit feelings that are full of optimism. They are highly motivated individuals even when confronted with serious obstacles. Self-motivation of leaders helps inspire others to accomplishing the assigned task in best of their ability. C) Self-regulation Self-regulation is a part of emotional intelligence in managing own emotions and feelings. Individual with high emotional intelligence can regulate their moods, and feelings. They can stay focused. They can exercise control on their anger and stay balanced toward their objectives. d) Empathy Empathy can be defined as sensing others' emotions correctly and in a timely manner. The project leader needs to possess empathy for others while getting the work done smoothly. e) Interpersonal and Social Skills Maintaining positive relationships with peers, subordinates and other staff is the essential requirement for becoming successful in the given task. It will be most appropriate to find how one can build effective relationships with others. Building Effective Relationship with Peers and Superiors Building positive working relationships with peers and superiors is essential for leadership success. That facilitates the work processes while interacting with people. Drucker (2009) writes with emphasis, "The people who are the most important to the effectiveness of an executive are not the people over whom he has direct control. They are people in other areas...Unless the executive can reach these people, can make his contribution effective for them and in their work, he has no effectiveness at all.” The moot question is, now, how to build effective relationships with others. Garfinkle (2012) suggests several measures that need to be adopted and implemented for building effective relationships. Some of them can be described as per the following. Speaking Positively about the People Speaking positively about others is a first step to build healthy relationship with people. While speaking positively for the people, they come closer and share their thoughts rather than hiding them. At times, speaking good about their small achievements help develop a rapport with them that helps in subsequent interactions with them. Initiating Conversations by Questioning Usually, questioning is a good way of breaking silence in one-to-one meeting. That is how people share information, their understanding and views on various issues and listening them patiently is an effective way of building working relationships. Sharing More at Formal Meetings It always helps sharing knowledge, expertise and experiences with others at meetings. Usually, people like to listen more from a person before opening up. That is how a meaningful dialogue sets in and roots of friendly relationships begin to occur. Thus, sharing information with others is an important step in building relationships. Remaining Supportive to Others' Task Remaining supportive to others’ work is a good way of winning support from them. People notice support given to them and, in turn, they also like to reciprocate. In today's world, cooperation is a way to build relations and people admire and remember those who remain supportive to them. That is how an effective relationship begins with peers and subordinates. Seeking Support from Others While providing support to others clears a way to beginning of an effective relationship, there is no harm in asking their support for own activities. Seeking other peoples' help will elevate them in their importance and they will be ready to reciprocate their goodwill to the task willingly. Repeat Interactions and Communications Crucial for Effective Relationships The first interaction with the person sets the tone of relationship but repeat interactions thereafter, consolidate the relationships already formed. This increases confidence and respect for each other – strengthening the working relationships with peers. That is also the way to know the people more closely – professionally and personally. Each meaningful verbal and written communication helps improve a formed relationship. Participating in Activities outside Workplaces When people participate in other activities – other than the office activities, then the relationship gains more strength. Such opportunities must be used for building effective relationships. Mostly, social meetings such as conferences, parties, dinners and lunches organized by the company serve a good platform for building effective relationships with peers and superiors because people talk more freely in such social gatherings without any inhibitions. Forwarding Appreciation Messages Sending appreciation messages to the people, especially when they make some remarkable contributions or accomplish some exemplary task, can do wonders in building effective relationships. Such messages can be sent to all – peers, subordinates, superiors and to the people working below the rank. Everyone likes to be appreciated and this is a sure way of getting closer and building a positive and effective relationship with them. Role of a Project Leader While developing a new product through participatory management, the role of a project leader is multifaceted. Primarily, they need to be creative and innovative with good empathy for customer so that they can develop a product at an affordable cost that is unique and no one else offers in the market place. At the same time, they must assess the company's strength accurately to deliver such a product in a commercial scale within a stipulated period. They also need to take some key decisions on final product design or features after great deliberations within the organization that may have long-term repercussions on the company. That is where they need to be visionary too. Prima facie, it may appear that the project leader functions as a coordinator and facilitator in the development of a new product but their success will largely depend upon how accurately and precisely, they can resolve all issues that may crop up during the developmental phase and in that sense, their leadership role takes over all other roles. Conclusion From the above, it is evident that the project leader's success largely depends upon smooth and effective relationships with peers, subordinates and superiors. The project leader needs to know own strengths and limitations and there is no harm in acknowledging them. The project leader also needs to understand that success of others is equally important and in no way, own success should be earned at the cost of others. When peer relationships work effectively, it is possible to avoid conflict situations establishing a good working synergy among staff for successful outcomes. References Drucker, P. (2009). The Effective Executive. Harper Collins Publishers. Effective Professional Relationships (1995). University of Wisconsin. Retrieved July 19, 2013 from http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cnred/lgc/facsup/Effect%20Relationships.pdf Garfinkle, J. (2012). Building Positive Relationships at Work. Retrieved July 19, 2013 from http://www.garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/buildingpositiverelationshipsatwork.html Nahavandi, A. (2009). The Art and Science of Leadership. 5th ed. Prentice Hall. Read More