My team and I have been talking about what it means to be “relationship first” in the business. How can we minimize friction, make things easier for clients, and create the kind of experience people talk about and want to come back to?
When you read “relationship first” did your mind immediately go to people outside of your business? If yes, you’re probably not alone.
We all have internal “clients.”
Colleagues. Direct reports. Managers. Stakeholders.
And anyone else who relies on you to show up in a way that makes their job easier, not harder.
Friction is expensive.
- It slows decisions.
- It creates confusion.
- It drains energy.
- It erodes trust.
While most of the friction we might create isn’t intentional, it does have an impact. And it’s often the small things: slow follow-ups, cryptic messages that are hard to decipher, dropping the ball, not offering enough support or context, overcomplicating something that could have been simple. 🙋🏻♀️
“Relationship first,” doesn’t mean being nice or endlessly accommodating.
It does mean looking for opportunities to reduce drag in the system so people can do their jobs without navigating around an additional obstacle. → You.
Now I say this with no judgment. I am the biggest obstacle in my own business, hands down.
Which is why, at a team meeting, I wanted to talk about what it means to have a “relationship first” business.
Because leadership is a series of micro-interactions and each one either creates friction… or removes it.
If this all feels taxing to you, here’s a simple question you could try asking. Almost zero effort on your part. It just requires you to pause and remember to ask.
“What would make this easier for you?”
That question alone builds trust, shows people that you’re interested, and reminds them that you’re there to help.
The external reputation of the business will always reflect the internal experience. And the same holds true for you, even if you’re internal.
→ If it’s frictionless inside, it shows outside. If it’s chaotic inside, it leaks outside…
This isn’t a client service strategy (although it could be.) It’s a leadership strategy.
Your call to action is to step back and evaluate where you might be causing friction. What could you do to reduce it?
