Good work relationships are critical for success in management. I don’t think I could have accomplished anything of substance if I didn’t have that going for me. My strategy for that is pretty simple, so I thought I’d share:
Go at their pace. If your co-worker wants coffee, have coffee. If they prefer happy hour, go to happy hour. If you don’t know, suggest what works for you. But if they don’t like it, don’t take it personally, and see if you can come up with another approach that works for both of you.
Meet them where they are, not where you want them to be. If your coworker is not a social person, don’t get upset if they don’t want to go to a group outing. If they are having a bad day, don’t talk to them the same way as if they were having a good day. Pay close attention to who they are and how they are feeling, and then adjust your approach accordingly.
Give them what they need. An easy way to get on my bad side is to not do what I need from you. So if someone asks you for something, and you agree to do it, do it and do it quickly. If this is hard for you, then either get better at it, or don’t agree to do it in the first place.
This is excellent counsel. Good thinking! Thank you!