How to Build Personal Relationships

It's easy to meet people and strike up that first conversation, but building and maintaining personal relationships takes work. Whether it's a business partnership, a friendship with a neighbor or classmate, or even your relationship with your spouse, keeping communication open can be hard given people's hectic schedules. Here's how to build successful personal relationships

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Email or phone friends and business associates often. Even if they live close by, it's not always possible to meet in person. Email occasionally just to say hello or comment on something they've mentioned in a previous correspondence.

2. Set a time each week to meet for dinner or coffee. Prioritize your time so maintaining contact with friends or business associates becomes just as important as shopping or other activities. Build a successful personal relationship by devoting time to it each week, no matter how many other tasks you have.
   

3. Participate in a group project, like a book club or volunteer work. By seeing the same people regularly and striving toward a common goal, you learn more about each other and develop relationships in a natural, relaxed manner. Many successful friendships begin during group activities.
   

4. Bring gifts even if it's not a holiday. It can be a fruit basket for a client of a bottle of wine for a friend, but unexpected social niceties demonstrate class and show people you value the relationship for more than business reasons. It adds a personal touch.

5. Listen to others. Become genuinely interested in what your co-workers and friends say, and follow through by asking questions when appropriate. Remember what they've said and reference it in later conversations. By showing interest in friends' activities, you build personal relationships that go beyond superficial socializing.