copyright M. Blachon
Throughout my career, when working for international businesses from the UK, France, Sweden or the Netherlands, and right now at a Polish company, I’ve come to one conclusion which seems common, irrespective of geographical or cultural boundaries: in business, whatever its scale or scope, it’s all about people. This simple thought, apparently self-evident, often gets lost in the jungle of business models and strategies. For many years of my work in Business to Business (B2B) community, I’ve strengthened my belief that sound business relations management moves towards People to People (P2P) – something that should always be obvious to all of us.
B2B (Business-to-Business)
to
P2P (People-to-People)
B2B evolution – from transactions to relations
The traditional B2B approach was primarily focused on transactions and processes. Undeniably, they have their importance but in the era of digital transition, with AI, IoT and other technologies inducing deep transformation of many industries, there is one business rule which remains unchanged – everything boils down to people.
P2P as the key to understanding business
Relations management is a dynamic process which requires technical skills and above all openness and commitment. Self-understanding, years of building the network of relations, my failures, and a wide range of incredible course, including Project Management Knowledge Pool (authored by Project Management Institute®) have helped me single out some key rules for building good relations in the team:
Preparation – getting the necessary knowledge, recognizing the context of the issue at hand or an item in the project
Simplicity – in communication and in problem-solving; just avoid making thinks more complicated
Listening – active listening to know the needs and expectations of others
Communication – clear, open and regular exchange of information
Teamwork – building teams based on trust, values and shared goals
Creativity – seeking innovative solutions to challenges
Courage – making responsible decisions which, even if uneasy, have a positive impact on the team and the project
In the world marked by ever growing challenges it is essential to remember about people you work with. They are the true key to success. I’d like to express my special thanks to all the teams and leaders I’ve had the opportunity to work with. They were all an incredible influence in my professional life.
