When you run your own small business establishment in the form of a start-up or through other means, your focus is always centred on innovation, creativity and the ways through which you can attract investors. Since the team is new and comprises very few individuals, it becomes quite difficult to work in an organised manner. However, there is nothing wrong in working in an unorganised manner with a small team, but it should be noted that in order to work effectively, even in an unorganised setting, one has to develop good working relationships with every team member.
It has been widely observed that entrepreneurs strongly believe that their ideas and working methods generate revenue for them. They believe that if their idea is unique, and they execute it nicely they can attract many investors. A part of this statement might be true, but it is not the only factor that attracts investors. Instead, the people who are going to invest money are not valuing your idea, but you. So do not be fooled in assuming that it is only your idea that matters. You, in fact, as an individual contribute more towards alluring investors by establishing good relationships with the people around you.
When you tend to develop good relationship with the people around you, you come across many stages that can determine your progress. According to Martin Zwilling, a start-up mentor, you can become a successful entrepreneur if you develop good workship – a workplace relationship between people who are not friends but good associates. Explaining different stages of workship, Martin says, via Entrepreneur:
“Every business relationship — peer-to-peer or inside to outside — starts as an introduction and formal recognition of roles. Too many relationships never advance beyond this stage, resulting in poor communication, no cooperation, low trust and low shared productivity. Moving forward to workships is critical to the business.”
At your workplace, you will always find a workship mentor, who, with their experience, will help you develop effective workships with others. Then you will find a workship advocate, who will inspire you to be yourself and be good at maintaining working relationships with everyone around you. A workship trailblazer is always few steps ahead of you and inspires you to do something. In return, you also aspire to become a trailblazer so as to set examples for others. The role of workship communicator is also very important. Martin says of the role of working communicator:
“The communicator is always researching the latest info, and keeps you in the loop on what’s happening in the business and why. Unlike the office gossip, information is always shared in a positive way, thus helping you to do your best at work and in your career. What goes around almost always comes around.”
If all goes well you can take your workships to the next level and turn it into friendships and may be more on some occasions. However, you, as a leader, should be cautious about relationship between your team members. If, for any reason, they develop grudges and turn into foe then it will eventually hurt your enterprise. So be vigilant and keep on asserting the importance of workships.
Photo: Cachinko