Welcome to Santa Clara Meditation! ๐งโโ๏ธ Did you know that the average person spends over half of their waking day at work? Because we invest so much of our time in our careers, the quality of our workplace relationships directly determines our daily happiness. Navigating office dynamics can sometimes feel exhausting, but what if there was a simple, authentic way to win people over?
In this post, we share an inspiring story about a Sales Director named Brian, who possessed an extraordinary gift for human connection. ๐ By observing his genuine interactions with overseas buyers and colleagues, we uncover three powerful secrets to building trust, resolving conflicts, and nurturing sincere relationships in any professional environment. Letโs dive in and learn how to transform our workplace into a space of true connection! โจ
I would like to introduce someone from my previous workplace who I felt was an absolute master of human relationships. He was my boss and the Sales Director, going by the English name Brian. ๐ผ
Thinking back to my first year at the company, I remember having quite a hard time because of the buyers who constantly looked for him. Whenever an important issue arose, the buyers would only seek out Brian. Even though they could have just talked to me, they would always say, “Where did Brian go? I need to speak with Brian…” ๐ At first, I was a bit annoyed. But eventually, I started studying why the buyers only looked for him. As I learned from him step by step, after a certain amount of time passed, the buyers started looking for both Brian and me.
Looking back, he was truly like a mentor to me. ๐
During my first year, I once sent him a thank-you email on Teacher’s Day. I genuinely felt I was learning a lot from him, so I wanted to use that day to express my gratitude. One day, over drinks, he brought it up: ๐ป
“You punk, why did you write a letter on Teacher’s Day? Receiving that letter gave me so much to think about. I suddenly felt burdened by the weight and responsibility of realizing that my position could impact someone else’s life.”
Then, he muttered in a quiet voice that he needed to work harder to help his employees grow. ๐ฑ
Even when I decided to resign after 10 years, he cheered me on. Of course, he did try to persuade me to stay for a few months. Given that our workplace had a low turnover rate, letting someone go couldn’t have been easy for him. The last thing he said to me still lingers in my mind because I could feel his absolute sincerity:
“If you are leaving for a better place, I won’t hold you back. If the company grows bigger and a Chief of Staff position opens up, make sure you come back. Keep in touch with the overseas buyers you worked with. Never forget that no matter where you go in the world, there are good people (the buyers) ready to help you.” โ๏ธ
That’s right. He is someone who genuinely cares for others and deeply values human relationships.
Today, thinking of him, I would like to write down the reasons why overseas buyers only looked for Brian. ๐
๐ 1. Approach Them First!
When I think about our morning commutes, the person with the most passion and energyโlike a brand-new employeeโwas always Brian. โ๏ธ
He always came to work with a vigorous, energetic stride and greeted everyone with a loud “Good morning!” Then, while having a cup of coffee, he would be the first to strike up conversations with the people in the room. โ
To someone interested in current events, he threw out a topic about the day’s news ๐ฐ; to a family-oriented person, he asked about their kids ๐ถ; to someone not feeling well, he asked about their condition. ๐ค Watching him, I used to think, ‘He is so knowledgeable and genuinely interested in people. How does he lead conversations with questions so perfectly tailored to the other person?’ Honestly, at his level of seniority, he could have easily just sat back and received greetings from the staff, but he always approached people first.
When overseas buyers visited Korea, he remained exactly the same. He always accommodated them and meticulously took care of them so they would experience no discomfort during their stay. He would check their itinerary, and if they had free time, he would ask what they wanted to do and treat them to sightseeing or a meal. ๐ฝ๏ธ Because he viewed buyers not merely as company guests but as friends and brothers, he paid careful attention so they wouldn’t suffer in a foreign country.
There was one instance like this. A buyer from a very small European country said they were interested in our products and wanted to visit the company. It was a company we could have easily brushed off, assuming they wouldn’t buy much anyway given the small size of their country. But Brian treated him exactly the same as any other major buyerโfrom airport pickup to the company tour and dining. ๐ Do you know what happened to that buyer?
When he first came to Korea, he arrived wearing shabby clothes and carrying an old bag. ๐ Five years later, he became the owner of one of the top companies in his country. Now, he is the kind of businessman who only flies first class and wears designer clothes. ๐
Just like this, Brian approached others first, regardless of their nation’s competitiveness or the company’s brand recognition. In return, the buyers loved him, loved our company, and loved South Korea. ๐ฐ๐ท
๐ก 2. Be Honest, Admit Mistakes Quickly!
He is a very honest and bold person. When a problem arises, he admits it quickly and sets out to resolve it. Thanks to this attitude, the buyers always trusted him and rarely harbored major complaints when issues occurred. ๐ ๏ธ
Sometimes I wondered, ‘Is it okay to be that honest?’, but that was his ironclad rule of sales.
Instead of just blindly apologizing, he explains honestly and accurately what went wrong, why it happened, and how he will fix it. ๐ He carefully checks everything during the resolution process, shares updates, and even after the issue is fixed, he follows up to ensure no further problems exist.
He once said:
“You could hide a problem and fix it quickly, but in the long run, that shatters trust. The process of admitting everything and fixing it swiftly might look like a financial loss in the short term, but as time passes, it ultimately benefits you in every way. Why? Because the technology improves through fixing that problem, and trust is built through how you handled it.” ๐
The buyers also evaluate him positively in this regard:
“He has nothing to hide. When a problem occurs, he is someone who tries to process it immediately. That’s why I trust him, and why I trust your company’s products.” ๐ค
He is the same in his other human relationships, not just with buyers. He is so honest that he has no secretsโa transparent person whose emotions are easy to read. ๐
โค๏ธ 3. Treat People with Sincerity!
He is a man with many “brothers” all over the world. ๐ That’s because the company’s main buyers all call him “brother.” He genuinely wants the buyers to succeed through our products and celebrates their success. ๐ He is always pondering the buyers’ growth, makes objective judgments, and suggests numerous ideas. Perhaps that’s why the buyers truly appreciate his perspective.
He acts the same way with his friends and the people around him. He sincerely congratulates people on their happy occasions, genuinely consoles them during hard times, and carefully looks after them with an almost effortless affection. ๐ฅฐ At the end of the year, he makes sure to send handwritten New Year’s cards to the buyers and attends many year-end gatherings. ๐ It might seem exhausting, but he enjoys these situations with bright, immense energy.
Ah, there is one incident where I really felt, ‘Wow… this guy is incredible.’
We once had a foreign employee at our company. The culture was so different that it must not have been easy for her to adapt. And because she grew up sheltered in a very wealthy family, in my eyes, I just thought, ‘She’s a princess.’ ๐ Ultimately, she decided to resign after just one year. But at her farewell meal, Brian told her this:
“This must have been a time where you learned a lot about our products. If you return to your country and are looking for a business item, it might be a great idea to choose our product. It’s a novel item in your country, and because you know this product better than anyone else, it has plenty of potential as a business venture. I believe you will do a great job.” ๐
I was shocked when I heard this. Everyone else in the company viewed her as an unadaptable “princess” from a completely different cultural and environmental background. But Brian pulled out only her strengths and spoke to her with absolute sincerity until the very end. ๐
๐ Editor’s Tip: How to Improve Your Workplace Relationships
According to a survey by the online employment portal Saramin, the average office worker spends 11 hours at the company. ๐ข Since we spend about half our day at the workplace, the human relationships within it are inevitably crucial.
What is the editor’s highly recommended tip for those struggling with workplace relationships?
Take a close look at the people you feel are good at building relationships at work. Observe the differences between them and yourself, pick one thing that you can easily mimic, and put effort into practicing it. ๐ฏ If you learn from those who excel at human relationships one step at a time, you can become just like them.
