Relationship Building

At Level 1, relationship building focuses on developing strong, respectful connections within your immediate team and project group. You're learning how to collaborate, show reliability, and engage in ways that build trust and comfort with those you work with every day. You're not expected to have a wide network yet—but your curiosity, presence, and consistent follow-through set the tone for strong working relationships.

Key Behaviors

  • Communicates regularly and respectfully with teammates
  • Participates in team meetings, rituals, and conversations
  • Expresses appreciation for teammates' support or contributions
  • Listens attentively and asks thoughtful follow-up questions
  • Builds rapport through consistent engagement with close collaborators

Common Struggles

  • May feel hesitant around unfamiliar people outside their immediate team
  • Can default to heads-down work, unintentionally missing social opportunities
  • May struggle to engage with teammates who have different communication styles

Success Indicators

You know you're successful when you:

  • Are known by your teammates as kind, reliable, and easy to work with
  • Ask questions that show interest in others' work and perspectives
  • Participate in team rituals and foster a respectful, collaborative tone
  • Build trust within your immediate circle through consistency and care

Mindset Shift

From:

"I work well with the people on my team."

To:

"I'm part of a larger organization, and I can build relationships beyond my team."

Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Who do I collaborate with outside my team—directly or indirectly?
  • What context could I learn by getting to know others across the org?
  • How can I contribute to a more connected and supportive culture?

Build These Habits

  • 1
    Introduce yourself when working with someone new
  • 2
    Engage in Slack threads, social channels, or shared learning spaces
  • 3
    Follow up with a thank-you or note of appreciation when others help

Seek Feedback

  • "How do you prefer to work together?"
  • "Is there anything I could do to make collaboration easier?"
  • "What's something I could learn from your team's perspective?"

Signals You're Ready to Level Up

  • People outside your team know you and enjoy working with you
  • You build bridges when small disconnects arise
  • You're sought out for input or collaboration beyond your core group

Focus Summary

  • Start where you are
  • Be consistent
  • Build from trust

At Level 1, relationship building is about building trust close to home. It's the foundation for being seen as a kind, reliable, and collaborative teammate.