An Easy Way to Build Relationships With Co-Workers -The Muse

An Easy Way to Build Relationships With Co-Workers -The MuseAn Easy Way to Build Relationships With Co-WorkersIf you love learning from successful people, you already know common habits they point to, likeWaking up earlierExercisingKeeping a journalRebounding from failureBut theres another one to add to the list- that I doubt youve heard 100 times already Send birthday cards to everyone you work with.Paper Source Watercolor Balloons A2 Happy Birthday Cards, Set of 10According to Chris Weller of Business Insider, Sheldon Yellen, the CEO of BELFOR Holdings, Inc., credits writing birthday cards (7,400 annually) for building a strong rapport with his employees and contributing to a more compassionate, gracious workplace. When it you think about it, this strategy makes total sense, because in the words of Claude Silver Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, people want to bring their whole selves to work, and that means sharing more than progression on a to-do list with the people around the m. But, while this may be what we want, it can be hard to connect with colleagues on a level other than Heres that part of the report you needed... No ones trying to be rude, but its easy to get wrapped up, especially if youre busy. And as one deadline rolls into the next, you realize that your work relationships all feel pretty transactional.Thats where writing birthday cards come in. First, every single one of your colleagues has one, so you dont run this risk of leaving people out. The dates may already be noted in your database or a shared worksheet, and if not, you can send an email around to your teammates asking them to share their birthday if theyre comfortable doing that.Second, take the next step and buy a box of cards to leave in your desk. That way, when someones big day rolls around, you can quickly write a handwritten note (learn more about why this makes a difference to the other person). For you, it wont be that much more effort, but to the other person, itll feel li ke you went out of your way to do something thoughtful.If youre a loss for words, just fill in this templateDear Name,Happy BirthdayI enjoyed getting to know you better over the course of project./ Im excited to work together on initiative./ I always look forward to your thoughtful contributions to meetings/our discussions of favorite team.Hope you have a great dayYour NameLike Yellen, you should notice a chain reaction. Your co-workers will know you care enough to remember them for something that isnt work-related. In turn, theyll thank you for the card, and itll open the door to discussing more than progress updates. Above all, keep in mind that this strategy can help anyone build stronger relationships. You dont have to be the CEO. In fact, as Muse columnist Erica Breuer shares, sending birthday cards is a great way for remote workers to stay connected to their colleagues, too. So, if youre looking for looking for an easy to build stronger relationships, buy some birthday cards. Let me know if you try this strategy out and if it works for you on Twitter.