Now that you have your core team of your network, the real challenging and rewarding part begins. How do you build trusting relationships with your network?

Even though your core team consists of people you like, it doesn’t mean that you will automatically trust one another and work well with one another, especially when it comes to business and money. You need a team building process.

I used these FOX activities to build trusting professional relationships with my network:

1. Food: Meet maybe once a week for a regular breakfast or lunch, if your schedule permits. Meeting daily will be a bit of an overkill though. For ladies, you might want to consider going high-tea. I’ve seen some lady tutors in my network doing that, and it looked pretty enjoyable.

2. Online: Start a private chat group for the core team, and keep it only for the team. This will be the place where you ask for help, share latest news or hearsay, or share any opportunities. Clear rules need to be agreed upon, such as no spamming, no religious or political discussions, no bullying, etc.

3. eXercise: You can organize a hike, swim, jog, or cycling activity, depending on the profile and preference of your core team. I’d suggest that it’s better to be inclusive than to be exciting. Personally I’d prefer hiking, as the duration is longer, allowing more interaction, it’s more suitable for a wider age range, and you can always conclude with a nice post-workout meal.

What other activities can be used to build working relationships?

Would love to hear from you.