9 Simple Tips for Building Strong Relationships as a Freelancer

9 Simple Tips for Building Strong Relationships as a Freelancer
Design by Judy Moore in Canva
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Building strong relationships at work is essential, especially for freelancers.  Our contacts in the industry are how we get jobs and establish our careers.  So we need to grow strong professional relationships and surround ourselves with people who want to work with us.

Having solid work relationships leads to increased career satisfaction and productivity.  It’s what makes us happy to go to work.

Here are nine traits that will help you build solid relationships at work as a freelancer:

  1. You work well with others as part of a team.

Film production is the ultimate teamwork situation.  Each department has its job to do as part of the larger production.  Do you work well within this scenario?

Some people don’t like working in this type of teamwork environment.  People who work well as part of a team and enjoy doing their share of the workload are on their way to building strong relationships at work.

  1. You’re self-disciplined and can stay focused.

We work in a high-stress environment for long hours on set.  Having the ability to stay focused on the task at hand and have a positive attitude is a definite asset.

It also helps not to take every negative thing that happens at work personally.  It’s difficult when you’re just starting your career because people may blame you for incidents that are not your fault and are out of your control.

Keeping a positive attitude and staying focused on your job will earn your co-worker’s respect and maintain your sanity.

  1. You’re self-aware and have long-term career goals.

It’s a tremendous asset to be a self-aware person who stays focused on long-term goals.  It’s what helps us get through the difficult days when nothing seems to be going right.

Self-aware people have emotional control, know their own needs, and don’t dwell on mistakes.   They’re the people we don’t mind being around for a long workday because they’re professional and easy to work with.

Being self-aware is a more significant career advantage than most people realize.

  1. You’re able to adapt rapidly to changes at work.

This one is huge in our industry.  You cannot be adverse to change because change is a constant on set and off.

Show me a shooting schedule, and I’ll show you a day with changes.  The opening shot on a job I was on recently was supposed to be a wide shot of the set.  Instead, it became a shot of an actor in a shower that we weren’t supposed to film until right before lunch.

No one was surprised, and everyone did what was necessary to make the shower scene happen.  Adaptability is crucial and expected in our industry.

Change is a constant, and we all have to go with the flow.

  1. You deal with problems calmly when they arise.

Nothing annoys people more than someone who panics every time a problem arises.  Our industry is full of creative problem solvers, and we all need to be among them.

There’s no such thing as a problem-free day on set, and there’s no problem that doesn’t have a solution.  Part of building professional relationships is doing our share of problem-solving.

We can’t always rely on others to figure things out.  Calmly contribute your solutions as needed and be known as someone who can solve problems and get things done.

  1. You can communicate effectively.

Sharing information is a big part of teamwork and is crucial for establishing good working relationships.  Some people are better communicators than others, but it’s a skill we can all keep improving.

Cell phones and texting are fine, but we still need the skills to communicate face to face.  People appreciate receiving information that helps them do their jobs.

Be a good communicator, and your work relationships will thrive.

  1. You follow through and keep commitments you make.

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘under promise and over deliver.’  Unfortunately, many people do precisely the opposite.  They over-promise and then don’t follow through and deliver.

Be reliable and do the tasks you’ve committed to doing, and you’ll be considered a valuable part of the team.  Reliability is a significant component of solid work relationships.

  1. You ask for help when you need it.

Playing the hero and trying to do everything only leads to job burnout.  Strong work relationships have a give-and-take.  You give help when it’s needed and ask for help when you need it.

Asking for help doesn’t mean we’re weak or can’t do our jobs.  It means we’re responsible adults who know they can rely on others when we need help because we have strong work relationships.

Knowing when to ask for help is a sign of competence.

  1. You show humility.

Humility can be hard to find in our business.  People who demonstrate it stand out and can quickly build solid work relationships.

Nobody wants to be around a smarty-pants who always needs to be right.  It’s a sign of immaturity and insecurity and will sabotage work relationships.  We’ve all worked with people like that, and it’s not fun.

There’s nothing wrong with being proud of our accomplishments.  We just need to balance that with humility and recognize that we didn’t do it alone.

Conclusion              

These are the nine traits I’ve found the most essential in my career for building strong relationships at work.  Our reputations get us work as freelancers in our industry, and being a helpful, reliable part of the team goes a long way towards building a successful career.

We never stop growing our work relationships in our careers, and there’s always room for improvement.

 

 

 

 

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