Mindset #6: Relationship Building

The Path to Operational Excellence: Bringing the Mindset Shifts Together

In this series, we’ve explored the mindset shifts necessary for leaders to drive operational excellence. Each shift challenges traditional views on training and development, emphasising the need to prioritise continuous learning, system improvements, and relationship-building. Let’s revisit each mindset shift and then dive deeper into the final, crucial transformation: moving from transactional training to relationship-building.

Recap of the Mindset Shifts

1. From Training as a Perk to Training as a Core Business Practice
   Leaders must recognise that training is not an optional benefit but a vital component of strategic planning. It should be fully integrated into business operations, with a focus on continuous improvement to drive success.
2. From Someone Else’s Responsibility to Manager-Led Development
   Development cannot be delegated to HR or training departments alone. Managers must take an active role in their team’s growth, creating a direct link between training efforts and team outcomes.
3. From Inconsistent Standards to Clear Expectations
   Clear, consistent standards are necessary to guide employee performance. They ensure that all team members understand what success looks like and have a shared vision for achieving it.
4. From One-Time Training to Continuous Development
   Training should be seen as an ongoing journey rather than a single event. This approach ensures employees can keep pace with changes and maintain a high level of competency.
5. From Blaming Employees to Analysing the System
   When performance issues arise, it is often due to systemic factors rather than individual shortcomings. Leaders need to examine whether training, resources, or support systems are inadequate before attributing the problem to a lack of effort.

The Final Shift: From Transactional Training to Relationship-Building

Old mindset: “Training is just about transferring knowledge.”

Shift needed: To fully realise the benefits of training, leaders must go beyond treating it as a simple knowledge transfer. Training should serve as a foundation for building strong relationships, fostering trust, and embedding a culture of growth within the organisation.

Why It Matters

Many organisations approach training as a checklist item, completed during onboarding or at annual intervals. However, this view misses the opportunity to leverage training as a relationship-building tool that encourages loyalty, engagement, and continuous improvement. Here’s why this final shift is so crucial:

1. Training as a Form of Commitment
   When leaders take the time to genuinely invest in their employees’ growth, it sends a message that they are committed to their long-term development. This builds trust and demonstrates that employees are more than just resources—they are valued partners in the organisation’s success.
2. Fostering a Culture of Learning and Adaptation
   Training isn’t just about acquiring skills but also about building a mindset of continuous improvement. When training is relationship-oriented, it encourages employees to seek feedback, share knowledge, and adapt to changing demands. A culture of learning is the backbone of an agile organisation.
3. Creating Stronger Feedback Loops
   Relationship-focused training involves regular, meaningful interactions between leaders and team members. This naturally leads to stronger feedback loops, where employees receive timely guidance and support, helping them course-correct and grow in real-time rather than waiting for the next training session.
4. Aligning Individual and Organisational Goals
   When training is relationship-driven, it not only benefits the individual but also aligns with broader organisational objectives. Employees are more likely to take ownership of their roles when they see that their growth is directly linked to the company’s mission and success.
5. Retention and Employee Satisfaction
   Building relationships through training and development increases job satisfaction and reduces turnover. Employees who feel invested in are more likely to remain with the organisation, reducing the costs and disruptions associated with hiring and onboarding new staff.

Leaders who embrace training as relationship-building can also tie these efforts to business outcomes, such as reduced turnover, higher employee engagement, and increased productivity. It is not only about making employees feel good; it’s about creating a workforce that is deeply aligned with the organisation’s goals and capable of driving better results.

Implementing This Mindset Shift

To adopt a relationship-building approach to training, leaders should consider the following practices:

• Embrace Coaching and Mentorship: Go beyond formal training by incorporating coaching and mentorship opportunities that provide ongoing, personalised support.
• Create Feedback Loops: Regular, constructive feedback and check-ins allow employees to feel supported and valued. It also helps identify areas for ongoing development, ensuring training doesn’t end when a session concludes.
• Encourage Knowledge Sharing: Foster a culture where learning is shared across teams, breaking down silos and enabling everyone to benefit from different experiences.
• Make Development Plans a Joint Effort: Collaboratively create growth plans with employees, ensuring they align with both individual aspirations and organisational needs.
• Build Trust Through Consistency: Consistently show support for employee development, not just during training sessions but through daily interactions and long-term career planning.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up the Series

Achieving operational excellence isn’t just about training—it’s about cultivating a culture where learning, development, and growth are embedded in everyday business practices. The mindset shifts discussed in this series are interconnected changes that empower organisations to move beyond reactive, transactional approaches to training and embrace a proactive, continuous development strategy:

1. Training as a Core Business Practice: Treating training as essential to the organisation’s success, rather than a perk.
2. Manager-Led Development: Ensuring that managers take ownership of employee growth rather than delegating it as someone else’s responsibility.
3. Establishing Clear Standards: Providing well-defined expectations instead of leaving employees to “figure it out” on their own.
4. Continuous Development: Viewing development as an ongoing process instead of a one-time event.
5. Systemic Improvement Over Individual Blame: Addressing systemic issues rather than attributing performance gaps solely to employees.
6. Building Relationships Through Training: Moving beyond knowledge transfer to build trust, engagement, and a culture of support.

Together, these shifts represent a holistic transformation, where training is not just a series of tasks but a strategic investment in both people and the business. The final shift, from transactional training to relationship-building, serves as a culmination of all the others. It underscores that effective training isn’t just about imparting knowledge—it’s about fostering connections, trust, and a shared commitment to growth. When leaders embrace this integrated approach, they set the foundation for sustained excellence, where employees are not only equipped to meet current demands but are also prepared to grow and adapt to future challenges.

Stay tuned for more insights on applying these principles and driving continuous improvement in your organisation!

Read the Full Operational Excellence Series

Mindset shift #1: From Training as a Perk to Training as a Core Business Practice. Read the article here: Rethinking underperformance

Mindset shift #2: From Someone Else’s Responsibility to Manager-Led Development. Read the article here: Leader-Ownership

Mindset shift #3: From Inconsistent Standards to Clear Expectations. Read the article here: Setting Clear Standards

Mindset shift #4: From One-Time Training to Continuous Development. Read the article here: Continuous Learning

Mindset shift #5: From Blaming Employees to Analysing the System. Read the article here: Analysing the system