Relationship Building

Comparing Level 1 and Level 2

Level 1

Level 2

Description

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.

Description

At Level 2, you begin to actively grow relationships beyond your immediate team. You engage with peers across the engineering org and other closely related functions, learning how to build connection through shared work, empathy, and follow-through. You're not networking for the sake of networking—you're building bridges that support better outcomes and more resilient collaboration. Your relationships help you get context, solve problems, and contribute to a more supportive engineering culture.

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

Key Behaviors

  • •
    Introduces self and connects proactively with engineers outside their team
  • •
    Participates regularly in engineering-wide Slack channels, events, or initiatives
  • •
    Follows up on cross-team conversations with clarity and gratitude
  • •
    Builds rapport with cross-functional partners like PMs, CSMs, and sales
  • •
    Notices when teammates or partners feel excluded and takes small steps to include them

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

Common Struggles

  • May default to transactional communication rather than relationship-building
  • Can hesitate to reach out when context is unclear or unfamiliar
  • May struggle to balance connecting broadly with delivering locally

Success Indicators

  • 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

Success Indicators

  • Have strong working relationships across teams and disciplines
  • Know who to talk to when questions arise outside your team
  • Are approachable, responsive, and constructive—even under pressure
  • Proactively build connection that supports better communication and collaboration

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."

Mindset Shift

From:

"I connect with people I collaborate with."

To:

"I build relationships that span boundaries and create shared understanding."

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?

Questions to Ask Yourself

  • What teams or functions do I rely on, but rarely talk to?
  • Who might benefit from context or support I can offer?
  • Where could I foster connection that helps the org move faster or better?

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

Build These Habits

  • 1
    Reach out to learn how other teams or roles work—not just when needed
  • 2
    Share credit and context across team lines
  • 3
    Offer to connect others who would benefit from knowing each other

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?"

Seek Feedback

  • "Is this a helpful way for us to stay connected?"
  • "How could we improve communication between our teams?"
  • "Is there anything I could do to be a better partner to your team?"

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

Signals You're Ready to Level Up

  • You're invited into conversations across teams because of your reputation
  • You help defuse tension or misalignment by offering clarity or connection
  • You're known as someone who brings people together and makes work more human

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.

Focus Summary

  • Connect intentionally
  • Support generously
  • Build the org you want to be part of

At Level 2, relationships are your edge. You're expanding your network not for visibility, but for shared progress.