Building good relationships at work is like growing a garden. For executives and CEOs in the technology and innovation industry, these relationships are crucial. They help create a happy and productive workplace. When leaders connect well with their team, everyone feels valued and motivated to do their best.

In this blog post, we’ll explore simple yet effective ways to build strong relationships in the workplace. Whether you’re leading a tech startup or managing a large innovation team, these tips will help you create a positive and collaborative environment.

 Let’s dive in and learn how to nurture these important connections.

12 Tips to Build Great Relationships at Work

1. Practice Active Listening

The best advice I can give to build a good professional relationship, in the workplace or in any environment, is to listen as much as (or more than) you speak. This doesn’t mean just letting the other person talk while you wait for your chance to chime in. Actively listen, giving the other person your full attention and focus, asking follow-up questions to clarify anything you didn’t understand or want to know more about, and then considering what you just heard when you’re deciding what to say next. 

Jon Hill, Chairman & CEO, The Energists

2. Conduct One-on-One Meetings

One practice I adopted is having regular one-on-one meetings with my team members, not just to discuss work but to understand their motivations, challenges, and personal goals.

For instance, during one of these sessions, I learned that one of our engineers was passionate about developing a side project focused on advanced data analytics. Recognizing the potential benefit, I allocated resources and time for him to pursue this project. This initiative boosted his job satisfaction and resulted in the development of new analytics tools that significantly enhanced our platform’s capabilities, providing deeper insights and value to our clients.

This personalized approach helps build trust and shows that you genuinely care about your team’s well-being and professional growth, which, in turn, significantly enhances workplace interactions and relationships.

Dinesh Agarwal, Founder, CEO, RecurPost

3. Find Out What Others Are Excited About

I like to ask, “What are you in the middle of that you’re excited about?”  You learn about everything from hobbies to strategic initiatives and ideas and more.

Karen Mangia, President & Chief Strategy Officer, The Engineered Innovation Group 

4. Build Genuine, Individual Connections

Bond with people personally, one-on-one. It is important to bond with your employees at a personal level to understand their personalities. Closely watch how employees interact with each other in meetings and corporate events, and note down what impresses and drives them most. Take note of the smallest details and mention them in your one-on-one conversations. 

Be sincere and avoid faking things, because people appreciate it and warm up to you. When you lead from the front, it becomes easy for your employees to follow suit, which is crucial to building good relationships and enhancing workplace interactions. 

I hold many one-on-one meetings with my team members and encourage them to interact with each other as often as possible. We organize team-building activities and informal gatherings to foster a sense of community. Casual coffee breaks and lunch outings are common in our company, because such events create opportunities for genuine interactions.

Vladislav Podolyako, Founder and CEO, Folderly

5. Focus On Empathy 

My top tip for building good relationships and enhancing workplace interactions is to focus on empathy. Make an effort to truly understand where others are coming from. Listen attentively, ask thoughtful questions, and validate their perspectives and experiences. This builds trust and rapport.

I’ve seen this play out many times over my career. For example, there was a situation where two colleagues had difficulty working together. One felt the other was not pulling their weight. Rather than make assumptions or accusations, they took time to have an open and honest dialogue.

This allowed them to understand each other’s working styles and priorities better. They found common ground and were able to collaborate much more effectively going forward.

Gauri Manglik, CEO and Co-Founder, Instrumentl

6. Share Knowledge and Resources Generously

My top piece of advice for creating strong bonds at work is to share knowledge and resources generously. I make an effort to share useful information, tips, and resources with my colleagues to help them succeed in their roles.

Whether it’s through formal presentations, informal discussions, or collaborative projects, sharing what I know fosters a culture of learning and cooperation. This not only helps my colleagues but also establishes me as a valuable and approachable team member. When we share knowledge openly, we build stronger, more connected teams.

Adam Tishman, Co-Founder, Helix Sleep

7. Don’t Ask “What Do You Do?”

I am very intentional about not asking people, “What do you do?” at networking events. I usually default to, “Where are you from?” The answer inevitably leads to a shared experience with their hometown or is easy to follow up with, “What brought you to Indy?” 9 times out of 10 a move was work-related, and jobs tend to come up in conversation anyway. Who someone is in relation to the work they do is so much more interesting than their title or industry. 

Robin Lanning, VP of Sales & Marketing, Tactive

8. Be Real and Show Vulnerability

My top tip for building good relationships and enhancing workplace interactions? Be real and vulnerable.

Here’s the deal: people don’t connect with titles or facades; they connect with human beings. As an executive, it’s easy to fall into the trap of always trying to appear perfect or invincible. But that’s BS, and your team can smell it a mile away.

Instead, show your human side. Share your struggles, admit when you don’t have all the answers, and be open about your own growth journey. When I screw up, I own it. When I’m facing a challenge, I’m not afraid to ask for help.

This approach builds trust. When you’re real, people trust you more; it encourages open communication. If you’re willing to be vulnerable, others will be too, and it creates a culture of continuous improvement. When the boss admits they’re still learning, it gives everyone permission to do the same.

Remember that you’re not just building a team; you’re building a community. And communities thrive on authentic connections.

Chris Kirksey, CEO, Direction.com

9. Show Your Curiosity  

Be extremely curious about the person you’re wanting to build a stronger relationship with. Don’t simply ask questions, connect the dots to what they’re saying and bring your own perspective that will drive meaningful interactions. 

Casey Bolsega, Sr. Portfolio Manage, Intrepid Finance

10. Focus on Mutual Goals and Support

A big mistake that I see a lot of people make when it comes to workplace interactions and relationships is that they forget to think about the other person in the interaction. Often, people are thinking solely about what they’re trying to get out of an interaction (whether that’s to move forward with a project, improve their knowledge, or anything else) and they don’t think about how they can help the other person reach their goals. 

When building good relationships in the workplace, it’s all about give and take. You need to understand the importance of helping your colleagues where you can. This is how you start building a healthier and closer company culture, and how your work relationships become a lot stronger.

So, next time you start engaging with someone at work, think about things from their perspective. Are there any challenges you can help them with? Is there another way for you to improve your relationship? It’ll almost always have great results.

Kam Talebi, CEO, Gigli

11. Be Open About Your Challenges and Doubts

The moment you start leading people and have to be their source of guidance and support, it’s very natural to want to seem like you’re someone who never struggles or makes mistakes. But that’s not how you build real connections with your team. It may seem counterintuitive, but you need to open up about your challenges or doubts—it shows your team that you’re human, just like them. You’re not this untouchable leader up on a pedestal; you’re someone who faces the same kinds of issues they do.

And that vulnerability helps break down those barriers. It makes you more relatable and approachable. Your employees will start to see you as a real person they can trust.

Gary Gray, CEO, CouponChief.com

12. Show Respect  

Respect is EVERYTHING as a leader, regardless of whether that is as an executive or a team lead, and no, I don’t mean the respect you receive; I mean the respect you give to the people under you.

While pay will always (rightfully) be important to an employee’s engagement in the workplace, if you look to the next issue, I would assert that a lack of respect is what is most likely to cause quiet quitting, low morale, and high turnover among your team. Especially during times of tighter financial situations where pay raises and promotions are less available, showing respect is vital to the success of your team.

People want to feel a part of something, including their place of work, so get them involved, ask their opinions, and make them feel seen. Not everything has to be done behind closed doors with only leaders involved. The more people feel like they are a part of something and involved in these conversations, the more they actively involve themselves in interactions and enhance good relationships.

Ryan Carrigan, CEO & Founder, moveBuddha

Conclusion

As an executive or CEO in the technology and innovation industry, your role in fostering these connections can lead to a happier, more productive team. By communicating openly, showing appreciation, and understanding your team’s needs, you can create a positive environment where everyone thrives.

Remember, strong relationships take time and effort, but the rewards are worth it. By investing in your team, you’re also investing in the future of your company. So, take the first step today and watch how a little bit of kindness and understanding can transform your workplace.