The Leadership Habit

Chapter 7Develops Positive Relationships

Peppermint tea evidently provides numerous health benefits, such as reducing pain, resting the mind, relaxing the body, improving digestion, aiding in weight loss, and relieving some of the effects of stomach ulcers. It even cures bad breath, so they say. But although peppermint tea appears to be a kind of panacea for aches and pains, can it also help you develop positive relationships?

Although not literally a leadership tool, a cup of tea might be just what you need to warm up your people skills. After all, your ability to build positive relationships can determine whether others will work with you, buy from you, listen to you, or even respect you. Nelson Mandela used sharing tea in a cordial way to break through tension with a political opponent. In fact, tea has frequently been used in diplomacy.

Diplomacy belongs in business as much as it does in politics. And a cup of peppermint tea may be the thing that disarms tension or infuses good will into business relationships, just as it did for Mandela.

Although drinking this magic herbal drink together can warm relationships, business leaders and managers are much more likely to profit by developing productive habits and skills in networking, collaborating, and also managing conflict. Productive habits lead to positive outcomes, and creating a positive outcome is the objective of positive relationships.

The aim of the leader is building relationships that drive or inspire people to achieve ...