How do you align your business relationships with your goals?

1 Define your goals

The first step is to define your goals clearly and specifically. What are you trying to achieve with your business relationships? How do they support your vision, mission, and values? How do they align with your stakeholders' expectations and needs? You can use the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to set realistic and meaningful goals that can guide your actions and decisions.

2 Identify your relationships

The next step is to identify your relationships and categorize them according to their importance, influence, and impact. Who are your key partners, customers, suppliers, and collaborators? How do they contribute to your goals? How do they affect your performance and reputation? You can use a relationship map or matrix to visualize your relationships and prioritize them based on their value and potential.

3 Assess your relationships

The third step is to assess your relationships and evaluate their current state and quality. How strong, healthy, and productive are your relationships? How satisfied, engaged, and loyal are your partners? How well do you communicate, collaborate, and co-create with them? You can use a relationship survey or feedback tool to measure your relationships and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

4 Plan your actions

The fourth step is to plan your actions and design your relationship strategy. How do you plan to improve, maintain, or change your relationships? How do you align your relationship activities with your goals? How do you allocate your resources and time to your relationships? You can use a relationship action plan or roadmap to outline your relationship objectives, actions, and indicators.

5 Execute your actions

The fifth step is to execute your actions and implement your relationship strategy. How do you execute your actions effectively and efficiently? How do you manage your relationship risks and challenges? How do you adapt to changing situations and expectations? You can use a relationship management system or tool to track your actions and monitor your progress.

6 Review your results

The final step is to review your results and evaluate your relationship outcomes. How do you measure your relationship performance and impact? How do you compare your results with your goals? How do you learn from your successes and failures? You can use a relationship review or report to analyze your results and capture your insights and lessons.

By following these six steps, you can align your business relationships with your goals and create value for yourself and your partners. You can also improve your relationship skills and competencies and become a more effective and trusted BRM.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?