Twelve Principles for Developing Positive Relationships

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Establishing meaningful, loving, supportive, and cooperative relationships is not difficult to do. Like anything else worthwhile, it warrants our attention to details, mainly our concern for our colleagues.

To set you on the right road of redefining your relationships, in helping you to make yours more positive, here are 12 principles of human behavior to consider:

1. Building positive relationships is like building a house; it takes time and patience.

2. Applying the Christian principle of agape, brotherly love, allows others to become more responsible and more capable.

3. Because agape is based on equality and mutual respect, it permits people to make choices.

4. Every human behavior has a social purpose. When people misbehave, they do so because they are pursuing their goal of attention, revenge, power, or manipulation.

5. Changing your negative behavior can most effectively influence the negative behavior of others.

6. Because your positive relationships are influenced by your positive actions, show appreciation for the positive behavior in others.

7. Because it usually takes two to tango, withdraw from conditions that can easily lead to power struggles.

8. Because retaliation stimulates further revenge, avoid retaliating with revengeful people. Instead, express goodwill. You'll improve the quality of the relationship.

9. Instead of finding faults in others, focus on their assets and strengths.

10. Showing confidence in your loved one will help him or her develop self-confidence.

11. Because a manipulator lacks self-confidence, focus on his or her past legitimate successes.

12. Because a bossy person is difficult to speak to, communicate with this person through your loving actions.

Remember: When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

About the Author

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: "... helping you maximize your potential." For more information visit www.executiveandgrouptravel.blogspot.com, or email him at eagibbs@ureach.com.