RAFT - Key to Overcoming Relationship Problems at Work

RAFT - Key to Overcoming Relationship Problems at Work
(CopyRight 2008; Benjamin Goh, www.bensglobal.com)

R - Relationship.
No one is perfect in this universe and its almost impossible to always have a perfect fit with everyone around us! Therefore, what bridges the gap between an imperfect fit and a good bond are trust and relationship. If the relationship with the peer, colleague, customer, supplier, business partner has reached a level where they feel that we care more about them and their interests and a high level of trust has been established, then half the battle would be won in establishing a good working relationship with a genuine priority for the interest of the other party!

A - Adjust, Adapt and Align.
As in the book by Ilene Hochberg, "Who Stole My Cheese" (http://www.amazon.com/Who-Stole-Cheese-Ilene-Hochberg/dp/0762412364). The story is about four characters: Two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two little people named Hem and Haw. These four characters live in a maze and live on cheese. (It is an allegory. It doesn’t have to make a lot of logical sense.) The story describes what happens to each of the characters as they face having to deal with the change that occurs when the cheese is no longer in the same place it has always been. The story makes the point about being prepared for change as well as coping with change when it actually happens.
Change is a constant. We can't avoid change even if we stick our heads under the ground like an ostrich. We have to embrace change and move on... Therefore, make adjustment to the changed situation (failure), adapt and then aligning to the new path ahead! As a Chinese saying goes.."Its impossible to force an ox to drink water". Thus, don't expect others to change. We should change for the better to fit the situation and match the other party.

F - Faith.
Very often, we lose faith of ourselves in situations where we are pushed down constantly and even worst, feel that we are not capable when we fail to meet up to the expectations of the other party. But in reality, failure is just a milestone in the path of success and FAITH is the fuel to drive us forward. As in Philippians 3:13 of the Holy Bible, "...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead..." Therefore, we should treat the failure as a lesson learnt and continue to strive on to the target that we set for ourselves. The attitude of wanting to learn will help in boosting our faith in ourselves. The moment we stop learning is also the moment we will lose the impetus to venture through the thick and thin of our lives. Treat failure as one of the milestones in our learning process. Learning is not just about learning from others' knowledge and past experiences (successes, failures and mistakes) but learning is also about teaching and sharing our knowledge and past experiences. The more we share, the more we gain in the process! Therefore, equip ourselves with the spirit of learning and enjoy every moment of it and grow!!!

T - Tact
In all things, exercise tact in all circumstances! There is so much we can do to convince ourselves and others of what we can achieve for the benefit of others and ourselves. Ultimately, how we present ourselves to the people around us is a critical success factor for excellence in relationship at work.

...having said all the above, if there is a genuine intention of the other party to put us down, then my advise is for us to ship out and move on to greener pastures! If all is well, then let's focus our energy on shaping up for the benefit of making this world a better place to live in!