HOW USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant and effective.”
—Stephen Covey, THE SEVEN HABITS OF
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLEStrategic relationships within an organization are like oil in a machine. They lubricate and
facilitate effort and decision making. They multiply your power, and your ability to get things
done, by creating the goodwill necessary for others to trust in your judgment.
Having a positive balance in the relationship bank doesn’t guarantee that the other person
won’t get irritated or angry when you make a withdrawal. However, having a positive balance
does mean that others are more likely to listen to what you have to say and give you the ben-
efit of the doubt when things don’t go as planned.
WEB WORKSHEET
This could be one of the most important tools in this book for leaders to understand and prac-
tice. Using the workspace provided here, take a few minutes to plan how you will maintain,
and continuously develop, your strategic relationships within your workgroup and organiza-
tion.
Column 1: List your five most strategic working relationships within your workgroup
and organization. [☛5.7 Stakeholder Groups, 9.10 Networking]
Column 2: Summarize why this relationship is important.
Column 3: Summarize what actions you can take to maintain a high level of trust and
goodwill with this person or group. [☛12.2 Trust]364 SECTION 12 TOOLS FORLEADINGRELATIONSHIPS
1.
2.
Person or Why this relationship is Actions needed to maintain your trust
group strategic/important account with this person or group