How Leaders Connect: Build Workplace Relationships - Step #1
How do valuable leaders build stronger workplace relationships? Here’s how… they understand the power of connection.
Let me tell you a quick story about how a migraine patch changed my working relationship with someone I never thought I’d connect with.
Her name was Beverly. She and I didn’t exactly hit it off. We worked together just fine, but it was stiff, awkward, and honestly, a little icy. We didn’t share the same opinions. We didn’t share the same energy. If I were being honest, I didn’t think we’d ever get along.
One day, I walked into her office for a meeting, and she looked miserable. Head in her hands, squinting at the lights.
“I’ve got a migraine,” she said. “I think I need to reschedule.”
Now, I know a migraine when I see one—I used to suffer from them too. And in that moment, I remembered something that had helped me during my worst ones: a little lifesaver called Migraine Ice, a cooling patch you stick to your forehead.
Connection happens when you are open to sharing your experiences.
I thought about ignoring it—after all, it was Beverly. We weren’t exactly pals. But something nudged me to go pick up a box anyway.
The next morning, I quietly dropped the box on her desk with a short note… a few words to say…feel better. No fuss. Just a gesture.
A day later… Beverly came down to my office… oh boy.. I thought this is not going to be a good day.
But… to my surprise it turned out to be one of my better days…
As she walked into my office… her face was glowing with a big smile.
Thank you – she said. The migraine ice really helps …I had no idea you use to suffer from migraines too.
That simple gesture cracked open the door to connection.
From that moment on, everything changed.
We started talking more. Laughing a little. Sharing ideas.
We didn’t magically become best friends—but we became something more important at work: real teammates.
And it all started with one simple principle
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Step 1: Find Common Ground
If you want to build stronger relationships at work, this is where you start.
Every human being—your boss, your colleague, the quiet intern—wants to feel seen, heard, and valued.
We are wired to connect.
But connection doesn’t just happen because we work near each other or sit in the same Zoom meeting.
Connection grows from shared experience.
That might mean:
You’ve both raised teenagers.
You both drink your coffee black.
You’ve both struggled with imposter syndrome.
Or—like me and Beverly—you’ve both battled migraines.
When you intentionally look for what you share with someone, you begin to see them as a person, not just a position.
You make space for empathy.
And where there’s empathy, trust can grow.
Why This Works
Psychologists call this the Similarity-Attraction Effect—we’re naturally drawn to people who are like us in some way.
It doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything. But when we find common ground, we lower our defenses and increase our chances of connection.
In fact, research from the Gallup organization shows that employees who have strong social connections at work are more engaged, more productive, and more loyal to their organizations.
So, if you’re a leader looking to improve team morale, drive collaboration, or reduce friction… this is the step to practice first.
👣 Step 1 - Find Common Ground
Connection grows from shared experiences… because we are wired to connect.
Make a gesture, not a grandstand. -That migraine patch? It wasn’t expensive. It wasn’t public. But it mattered. Small acts of thoughtfulness build big bridges. communication skills—so you can be connect on a higher, deeper level.
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Remember: You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. You just have to be present—and willing to see what you have in common with the people right in front of you.
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