About this session
Professional relationships are built through repeated experiences: whether someone follows through, listens, shares information, communicates honestly, respects boundaries, responds when things become difficult, and contributes value without making every interaction transactional.
Participants explore how trust and credibility develop, how to build rapport without forcing familiarity, how to understand what matters to different colleagues and stakeholders, and how to maintain relationships when priorities, geography, seniority, or working styles differ.
The session also addresses the harder side of relationship management: declining requests without damaging goodwill, dealing with tension, repairing trust after something goes wrong, maintaining dormant connections, and deciding where to invest limited relationship-building time.
What your people take away
- Build trust and credibility through consistent professional behavior
- Develop rapport and connection without relying on forced networking
- Understand what different colleagues and stakeholders value from the relationship
- Maintain relationships across distance, functions, hierarchy, and changing priorities
- Set professional boundaries while preserving goodwill and collaboration
- Address tension and repair relationships when trust or communication has been damaged
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
- Everything that’s covered, part by part
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: Build Trust, Credibility & ConnectionA focused 30-minute session on three key points from Build Trust, Credibility & Connection: trust is built through patterns, credibility is more than expertise and build rapport without performing.
- Trust is built through patterns
- Credibility is more than expertise
- Build rapport without performing
Covers 3 of 4 points in Build Trust, Credibility & Connection.
60 minutes
Build Stronger Professional RelationshipsA focused introduction to the behaviors that create trust, credibility, rapport, and reciprocal value. Participants examine their own relationship habits and identify one professional relationship they want to strengthen.
- How professional trust develops
- Credibility and reliability
- Rapport without forced networking
- Understanding priorities and working styles
- Reciprocity
- Professional Relationship Self-Check
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 4 parts: Build Trust, Credibility & Connection.
90 minutes
Build, Maintain & Strengthen Key RelationshipsThe extended session moves beyond first connection into maintaining relationships through different priorities, communication styles, boundaries, disagreement, and distance.
- Trust and credibility
- Relationship needs and working preferences
- Reciprocal value
- Cross-functional relationships
- Boundaries and difficult requests
- Maintaining relationships over time
- Professional Relationship Map
- Relationship Strengthening Plan
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 4 parts: Build Trust, Credibility & Connection and Understand the Person Behind the Role.
3 hours
Covers 3 of 4 parts: Build Trust, Credibility & Connection, Understand the Person Behind the Role and Maintain Relationships When Work Gets Difficult.
Full day
Professional Relationship Mastery WorkshopA practical full-day workshop covering the complete relationship cycle: building trust, understanding others, maintaining connection, navigating tension, repairing damage, and developing a sustainable professional network.
- Module 1 — Build Trust, Credibility & Connection
- Module 2 — Understand the Person Behind the Role
- Module 3 — Maintain Relationships When Work Gets Difficult
- Module 4 — Build a Network You Can Sustain
- Professional Relationship Mapping
- Trust & Credibility Self-Review
- Working Style Conversations
- Reciprocity Exercise
- Boundary Conversation Practice
- Relationship Repair Scenarios
- Strategic Network Mapping
- 90-Day Relationship Plan
- Live Q&A
Covers all 4 parts.
Also available as a 4-week or 8-week program, for change that lasts. Ask us about it.
What’s covered
Build Trust, Credibility & Connection
Every length- Trust is built through patternsProfessional trust rarely comes from one impressive interaction.
- Credibility is more than expertiseTechnical competence matters, but credibility also depends on judgment, preparation, follow-through, transparency, and being willing to say what you know and what you do not.
- Build rapport without performingRapport does not require becoming highly personal or naturally extroverted.
- Make small interactions countRelationships are shaped by everyday moments: responding when promised, acknowledging help, sharing useful information, giving credit, checking understanding, and following up after an important conversation.
Understand the Person Behind the Role
90 minutes and longer- Learn what matters to themEffective relationships become easier when people understand one another's goals, pressures, responsibilities, constraints, and definitions of success.
- Understand working preferencesPeople differ in how much context they want, how quickly they make decisions, how directly they communicate, how they prefer to receive information, and how they handle disagreement.
- Create reciprocal valueStrong professional relationships are rarely sustained when one person appears only when they need something.
- Work across differenceRelationships may cross functions, cultures, locations, generations, levels of seniority, and professional disciplines.
Maintain Relationships When Work Gets Difficult
3 hours and longer- Disagree without damaging the relationshipHealthy professional relationships need enough trust to survive challenge.
- Set boundaries without withdrawingGood relationships do not require saying yes to every request.
- Address small tensions earlyUnanswered messages, missed commitments, unclear expectations, perceived exclusion, competing priorities, or different communication styles can gradually damage a relationship.
- Repair trust when something goes wrongMistakes, misunderstandings, broken commitments, confidentiality failures, poor communication, or difficult decisions can damage trust.
Build a Network You Can Sustain
Full day only- Think beyond your immediate teamMany outcomes depend on people participants do not formally manage.
- Maintain connection without constant contactA professional relationship does not need weekly interaction to remain useful.
- Invest where the relationship mattersTime for relationship building is limited.
- Become a connectorProfessional networks become more valuable when people help useful connections happen between others.
Tools and materials
- Professional Relationship Map
- Trust & Credibility Self-Check
- Relationship Discovery Questions
- Working Preference Map
- Reciprocal Value Planner
- Boundary Conversation Planner
- Relationship Repair Guide
- Strategic Network Map
- 90-Day Professional Relationship Plan
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships
How long is Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships?
Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from Build Trust, Credibility & Connection: trust is built through patterns, credibility is more than expertise and build rapport without performing. A 60-minute session covers Build Trust, Credibility & Connection in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Understand the Person Behind the Role. A 3-hour session adds Maintain Relationships When Work Gets Difficult. A full-day session adds Build a Network You Can Sustain. It is also available as a 4-week or 8-week program.
Can Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Building & Maintaining Professional Relationships to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.