Builders With Relationship Talent: Forming a Diverse Network

On this episode of Builder Talent Tuesday Season 1, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, discuss the Relationship talent with guest Torin Perez.

People who are especially talented in the Relationship talent have strong interpersonal skills that allow them to build a robust and diverse personal network. They rely on relationships to access resources and information essential to the success of their business.

They have a high social awareness. They share experiences, exchange ideas and make new contacts with people inside and outside the industry. They have a robust and diversified network that they use effectively for the survival and success of the business.

If you are coming across a leader with high Relationship you may find that they are attracting and maintaining a constituency. They build mutually beneficial relationships. They tend to use this talent to access internal and external resources. Individuals with this talent can forge relationships quite quickly and easily. These relationships can be with employees, customers or even other entrepreneurs. These relationships are deeper than just surface level, and tend to span longer than just the project. People high in this talent tend to long for a more holistic definition of that relationship. They see themselves as having a deeper connection with individuals both inside and outside of work.

People high in Relationship tend to have a positive attitude, and a personal integrity that builds trust. The relationships that they build with others is their greatest asset. They are usually good at breaking down any barriers, helping people feel safe and stable and exuding themselves as a partner you can trust. They tend to understand that success, especially in business, tends to be a collaborative effort. Knowing and understanding this tends to set people with this talent up to make the most of this. They are constantly stretching their circle and making it wider.

If you are somebody who is drawn to relationships, you don't tend to be naturally selective about them. Sometimes bigger is not always better. Help remind yourself to be selective about the deep associations that you form. Help yourself be more strategic about how to focus on the relationships that you already have, and how you can turn them from just a mutually beneficial relationship, to really developing and getting the most out of people.

Another potential blind spot is that it can be a lot easier to go out and make new connections, than maintaining focus on how to grow your business. This may mean creating metrics that are compelling to you and will help your business thrive. As long as you have those goals set up and are excited about them, the way you go about achieving them can be all through people. The final blind spot can be sometimes when you build your network it can insulate you from those outside of it. It is easy to get in the grey about understanding who your insiders are. Stay curious. Look for a diversity of opinions and experiences. Stretch your thinking beyond what feels comfortable, and beyond building relationships that you normally would.

There are a few things to think about when coaching individuals with high Relationship. First, think about diversifying your network. Go beyond just who you are directly tied to, and think about branching out to who you may be tied to through competitors, customers or suppliers. Understand that reciprocity is key. How are you helping others through your relationship sharing? How can you be the first person in a partnership to offer something valuable? Try to be transparent about the symbiotic nature of the relationship. It is important to be able to share how you can work well together.

Second, be selective with who you spend your time. Who are your most productive employees? Who are your best customers? The Relationship talent is not just about sewing new seeds, but also focusing on the plants that are already growing at home that show quite a bit of promise. Third, understand the social landscape. Especially if you are diving into a new area or a nuisance of your industry. Recognize the norms, recognize the values and the preferences that shape the behaviors of other entrepreneurs in your community, as well as non-entrepreneurs. How quickly can you walk into something new and become a part of it?

Fourth, use your influence to address social issues. That social awareness makes you open to ideas and solutions to problems that others may not be able to see. Finally, think about renewing and reshaping your networks frequently. The ability to be able to cultivate great benefit from mutual trust and strong relationships is really your best foot forward if you are an entrepreneur with high Relationship.

Torin Perez's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Ideation, Learner, Connectedness, Arranger and Activator. Torin's Top 4 BP10 talents are: Relationship, Disruptor, Confidence and Determination.