Engagement builds and nurtures relationships.

Let us explore how individuals can engage people they interact with during meetings, at work or home. These are no tricks just some core ideas that have the potential of creating a solid foundation for true engagement and develop fulfilling relationships.

Be Honest: Be honest about your motives. If you are getting in a relationship for getting back something tell so upfront or whenever you realize that you want something back. It can be love, money, a partnership of some sort. You are the best judge of your motive.

Speak the truth. Share what you can do for people – if anything at all. Do not overpromise; state what you think can be achieved realistically.

Be Knowledgeable: Do you know what you are talking about? If you do, people will listen. If you don’t then better keep quiet and listen to those who know. This is a better way of spending time.

Take time to nourish and learn, before you can offer some advice. Do not get worked up about knowing all the things. Everyone is not supposed to know about everything. Your turn will come. If you look deep within there may already be something that you know better than others. Take time to search for it. This is also learning — learning about self. For me this is the biggest learning of all.

In a world so enthusiastic about outsourcing keep the task of learning with you. It will serve you well. Take help of a mentor or refer to best seller lists; but core task, you should do it yourself.

Show Interest. Be genuinely interested in people and their needs. This will make it easy for them to open up and help you understand them better.

Provide genuine solution. Everyone has challenges in life. People have relationships to keep, business to run, families to take care of. As an individual can you provide solution to their problem?

Listen. Listen to people, that is the greatest service you can do to anybody. It is a form of solution. Do not listen to bitching or similar stuff. You know about GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out)?  But if somebody has genuine concerns takes time to listen. If you can dedicate some time to listen to friends and family regularly.

Speak. When you think you should and it helps build the conversation. Speak to tell people that you see light in them; speak to tell what is good in them; and at times also to share (one-on-one) what they can improve.

Be consistent: This is important. Do not remember birthdays and anniversaries for one year, remember it year after year. If you are a blogger write regularly; your readers will feel more connected to you when you do that. Because when you do something right it builds anticipation and when you repeat that action, peoples’ expectations are fulfilled. This helps build trust.

So are you ready to engage those who are already there and those who you will come across today and in future?

A question people ask a lot these days, “what is in it for me”? There is a lot for you or for anybody who does this — satisfaction, bonds for life; money, love or whatever your intention is to get out of the engagement.

How do you engage people in your life?

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