In the previous article, we looked at how relationships can be categorised, taking clue from nature. in this article, we go into specifics, looking at professional/business relationships and using a bank balance approach to that context.

It is only prudent if we define the scope of what professional relatiionship is in this article. Professional relationships are relationships that are established through course of business or work. It can be inter or intra business, relationship with stakeholders such as government private sector relationships. While the focus is professional relationships, some of you might think this approach may even be applicable for personal ones. For that, I leave it to your wisdom.

Why relationships? Relationships brings a sense of belonging. which creates a sense of responsibility and accountability. Having relationships in a professional manner helps to get results at work, being able to deliver while everyone is focused at their own KPI. Organizations thrive as an organism, rather than individual cells, which potentially ends up being cancerous and debilitating to the organization.

Now that we've defined the prerequisites, lets jump into the approach. I'll provide some basic concepts and some challenges.

We're going to look at a relationship in a form of bank balance approach. We have 2 fictious person, P1 and P2. (So as not to cause any issues with those living or otherwise).

P1 goes to help P2 with this work assignment. It's not part of P1's work scope, but P1 does it anyways. In this instance, P1 accrues positive (+) bank balance in regards to P2.

P2, cognizant of P1's assistance and knows that P1 does not benefit from helping P2, returns the favor by helping P1 in some other work related matters. In this instance, P1's bank balance is deducted , assuming all matters equal, the bank balance remains zero.

Helping others gets your positive balance, someone using your help gets negative balance. In an ideal world all balances should be zero, or positive. If you notice, the concept of bank balance happens from the perspective of you (the person, the owner).

Humans are nothing but random and complicated. So here is where this method gets interesting.

Someone continues to help you no matter what the situation is. It can be small, it can be big. The person continues to give you a negative balance, and you've not done anything in reciprocation. If this continues, this ends up to exhaustion and the other person, seeing no benefit in the relationship may end up forgoing it. Before this situation happens, it is wise to be proactive and be part of the other person's life. Staying in touch, saying hi, or checking on the person, calling up for coffee/lunch and discovering ways to assist is a form of balancing the account. It is also good to understand why this person is constantly helping you. What is the value that the person sees in you? Or is it a power equation issue? (I'll write about power equation and stakeholder management on a separate article).

On the flipside, you go out of the way to help a person. You understand the person needs assistance. e.g. you are technically inclined and you know a person who isn't. You continuesly help the person in his work so that he improves. You accrue positive balance, but you don't see the same from the other person. You realise that your time and effort doesn't seem to be "aptly appreciated" even when the person says thank you. You're doing it because you saw yourself once in that situation and out of kindness you do it. Eventually you grow tired, seeing its not going anywhere. When you acrue too much positive balance, you might want to assess the relationship. Do you continue the same path, or cut your losses and move forward.

Looking at all the relationships you have and assessing it each may bring a moment of epiphany. Relationships that are positive but lost due to lack of investment, or relationships that are negative but still clung on to?

This said, while I am attempting to put some frame into this approach, it is prudent to mention that things are not as simple or as clear cut as I may put it. Many variable influence our decisions which decides the next course of our action. This gives some context, but in your own individual sense, make a concerted yet informed decision.

As times go by, nature of relationships can change. Some negative relationships can turn positive, and vice versa. Some other factors may change your approach.

For example, a budding engineer, rank and file is often just another person to say hi for a sales exec when it comes to selling products. Over time, that engineer, working hard, rising to higher ranks now command the ability to make purchase decision, which a sales exec needs a positive relationship on. So does the sales engineer, rising ranks to become a Country Head, now needing insights into potential companies to grow business to.

So, instead of leaving you with the usual summary/conclusion, I decided to leave you with some scenarios to ponder upon. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer to these scenarios. Only choices you decide, from where you are at this point.

• Someone whose been a contact with you on Linkedin suddenly messages you out of the blue, asking if any vacant position is available as their son just graduated and looking for opportunity
• An ex colleague who used to be a weekly drinking buddy of many years ago approached you to prosent a new product.
• A mentee that you have groomed to be successful is now heading the company that you intend to work for. Would you approach them?