The secret of your success

What is the secret to your success?

You might attribute any success you've experienced in life to one or more factors: advance degrees, a winsome personality, intelligence, social status, work ethic, perseverance, resilience, etc.

And what if the secret to your success is really about the quality of your relationships?

Over the years, I've known leaders who were incredibly intelligent, skilled, and diligent in their work but lacked the ability to relate well with others.

Your ability to collaborate with others is vital to your success.

Lasting, long term success in any field of endeavor emerges from cooperation and that is supported by trustworthiness, likeability, and the ability to empower others. The more trustworthy you are, the more people will do business with you. The more likeable you are, the more people will want to be around you. (Please note: likeability is not about being nice, it's about how people feel when they are around you.) The more you empower others to succeed, the more successful you will become as well. After all, the saying is certain, a rising tide raises all ships.

Here's the bottom line: your relationships are the secret to your success.