Don't burn your bridges

The last few weeks in politics have thrown up lots of things to consider, particularly around leadership, professional relationships and integrity.
It's interesting to think about the Cabinet and how, until recently, they were probably all focused on what the Prime Minister David Cameron and George Osborne (wannabee Prime Minister) thought of them.

We'll probably never know the exact reasons for each of the new Cabinet appointments but one thing is for sure, if people had seemingly burnt bridges with Teresa May or not performed well in her view, they are today consigned to the back benches.

This made me think about the importance of never completely closing off a connection, something I talk about in my networking workshops. Unless someone is totally rude and offensive, it is wise to be polite and if you can remain connected, even if just on LinkedIn. More than once, I have had someone turn up somewhere I didn't expect. It might just be at an event, as a close friend/colleague of someone else in your network or it might be somewhere more influential, such as working with one of your clients!

So whilst not asking you to be someone you're not and appreciating that we can’t build long-term, close professional relationships with everybody we meet, the message today is to be careful about responding appropriately to people and to avoid completely closing off a connection. You might not like them that much or see them as 'relevant' to your professional life now, but that might not be the case in 5 years’ time, through no choosing of your own!

Joanna Gaudoin helps professionals communicate themselves positively and engage effectively with others, to achieve greater professional success. If you need help with any aspect of professional relationship building, especially if you lack time so need to build strategic relationships effectively, then send Joanna a message to arrange a conversation.
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