David Maister’s Passion, People and Principles

post # 277 — Monday, January 8, 2007 6:00am — a General post

Friendship Skills - new careers podcast

When you develop your friendship skills, it can help your business life as much as it helps your personal life. Clients go with providers who can:

• make them feel at ease;
• make them feel comfortable sharing their fears and concerns;
• can be trusted to look after them as well as their transaction; and
• are dependably on their side.

In other words, the social skills that earn you the position of “trusted friend or advisor” are the same in a business situation as they are in a personal context.

My latest podcast episode, entitled Cultivate the Habits of Friendship, explores how you can develop your friendship skills. It is never too early (or too late!) to learn how to earn and deserve trust.

Timeline

02:37 - Exercise your friendship skills

03:49 - How to develop a talent for friendship

08:33 - A "client-centric" approach to friendship

10:24 - 4 attitudes you can cultivate for better relationships

15:41 - How to make deposits in your "trusting relationship bank"

18:26 - The key lesson: friendship skills are learnable

You can download Cultivate the Habits of Friendship or sign up to receive new Business Masterclass seminars automatically with iTunes or other podcast players. (Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to subscribe.) My seminars are always available for download at no cost.