"We can improve our relationships with others by leaps and bounds if we become encouragers instead of critics."

Joyce Meyer

With the utmost of encouragement, if you're a CEO, a business leader or the President of your company, please memorize and embed this quote in your mind.

There's a transformative power of encouragement in your interactions with others. When you choose to uplift, support, and motivate those around you (your people), rather than focusing on their faults or shortcomings, you foster trust, positivity, and deeper connections.

Encouragement builds confidence and goodwill, while criticism, especially when frequent or harsh, can erode relationships and self-esteem.

Are you really acknowledging the efforts of your people? Have you noticed and appreciated the hard work or good intentions of your people, even if the outcome isn’t perfect.

Are you really offering constructive feedback with your people? Your feedback is necessary, frame it positively and focus on solutions.

Are you really celebrating the success of your people? Share in the joy of others’ achievements, big or small. This isn't about birthdays or work anniversaries.

Are you really expressing gratitude for your people? How regularly are you thanking your people for their contributions and kindness?

By making encouragement a habit, you not only help others grow, but you also create a more supportive and harmonious work environment.

In the continual pursuit of quarterly targets, growth strategies, and operational efficiencies, one factor often remains underestimated or overlooked, the power of authentic relationships.

As a CEO, you're tasked with driving revenues, improving profit margins, and ensuring sustainable growth.

Yet, the most profound lever you have at your disposal isn't just technology, marketing, financial and business acumen, it's people. More specifically, it's about nurturing authentic relationships both inside and outside your organization.

Authentic Relationships Are the New Currency of Business

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Theodore Roosevelt

We all know this... business today is hyper-connected. We operate inside an information rich world, where trust has become the ultimate currency.

Authentic relationships, cemented in trust and mutual respect, pave the way for:

• Greater collaboration, as teams with genuine bonds collaborate more effectively and innovate faster.

• Client loyalty, as clients and future ones gravitate toward organizations where relationships are genuine and value driven.

• Employee retention, as authenticity fosters a sense of belonging, reducing costly turnover.

Businesses that invest in building and nurturing relationships see returns not just in employee satisfaction or brand loyalty, but directly in their financial statements.

Businesses that invest in building and nurturing relationships whether with employees, clients, partners, or out in the community, experience returns that extend far beyond intangible benefits.

While improved employee satisfaction, client loyalty, and brand reputation are clear outcomes, the real impact often shows up directly on the bottom line.

Strong relationships lead to higher retention rates, reduced recruitment and marketing costs, increased client lifetime value, and more resilient operations.

Relationship-centric strategies are not just good ethics, they're smart financial decisions that drive long-term profitability and sustainable growth.

Grow People First

"When we invest in people, we invest in the future."

Jack Welch

Growing your people isn't a feel-good initiative; it's a core business strategy. Empowered, engaged employees are more productive, more innovative, and more committed to the organization’s mission.

Data from Gallup consistently shows that highly engaged workforces outperform less engaged peers by 21% in profitability and 20% in sales productivity.

Key reasons growing your people fuels financial growth:

• Skill enhancement, as continuous learning improves performance and competitiveness.

• Leadership development, as building leaders from within ensures continuity and resilience.

• Cultural strength, as a culture of growth attracts top talent and deters attrition.

Authenticity and Growth: A Harmonious Relationship

Authenticity isn't just about being nice. It's about transparent leadership, honest feedback, and real empathy.

Authenticity goes well beyond surface-level kindness. It's about showing up with integrity, being accountable, and creating environments where people feel safe to speak and be heard.

Transparent leadership builds trust, honest feedback drives growth, and real empathy fosters genuine connection.

When leaders model and embrace authenticity, it sets a gold standard for the entire organization, enabling:

• Faster decision-making, as trust becomes greater, people spend less time second-guessing motives.

• Resilience in adversity, as authentic relationships provide emotional reserves that help teams endure tough times.

• Greater risk-taking, as innovation flourishes, people feel safe to share unconventional ideas.

Your action item - Audit your employee relationships

Before you can lead a shift toward authenticity, you must first understand where you stand.

• Conduct anonymous employee surveys about trust and authenticity within leadership.

• Review feedback from your clients for signs of genuine relational engagement.

• Personally reflect, are there areas where you've prioritized efficiency over true connection?

The ROI of Emotional Smartness

"Emotional intelligence is not a luxury you can dispense with in tough times. It’s a basic tool that, deployed with finesse, is the key to professional success."

Daniel Goleman

High emotional intelligence in leadership correlates with higher performance.

According to TalentSmart, 90% of top performers have high emotional intelligence. Leaders with high EQ, simply:

• Navigate conflict better.

• Motivate teams more effectively.

• Create stronger interpersonal bonds that lead to better business outcomes.

Your action item - Invest in emotional smartness development

• Offer EQ assessments and coaching for executives.

• Incorporate emotional intelligence training into leadership development programs.

• Model vulnerability by sharing mistakes, lessons learned, and personal growth stories.

Building a Culture That Puts People First

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast."

Peter Drucker

To truly grow revenues and profit through authentic relationships, you must embed people-centric values into your company's culture.

This is not a one-off initiative; it's a systemic transformation.

This is about:

• Transparency, by communicating openly about company goals, challenges, and changes.

• Recognition, by celebrating not just results, but effort, learning, and collaboration.

• Autonomy, by trusting your teams to make decisions and own outcomes.

• Purpose, by connecting daily work to a larger, meaningful mission.

Your action item - Establish relational KPIs

• Track internal relational and collaboration metrics.

• Monitor client loyalty indicators linked to relationship depth, not just transactional size.

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CEOs, The Chief Relationship Officers

As CEO, you're not just the Chief Executive Officer; you are also the Chief Relationship Officer.

Engage regularly in authentic conversations with team members at every level. Build and prioritize relational capital, not just with clients and partners, but within your own walls.

Lead with transparency. Because in the end, it's relationships, not just results that define exceptional leadership.

Your leadership behaviors set the tone.

• Regularly engage in authentic conversations across all levels.

• Prioritize relational capital when assessing partnerships and client relationships.

• Share your personal "why" openly and invite others to do the same.

Your action item - Create executive relational routines

• Weekly Listening Tours, as you attend team meetings unannounced simply to listen.

• Monthly Client Connection Days, as you engage directly with clients to hear their stories.

• Quarterly Vision Town Hall Gatherings, as you host open forums where employees discuss the company's future.

Authenticity is Not Optional

"The business of business is relationships; the business of life is human connection."

Robin Sharma

The success of your company is deeply rooted in the quality of relationships. Building trust with clients, suppliers, and your team is essential for long-term growth and resilience.

Employee connection fuels employee engagement.

Artificial intelligence and automation will redefine industries, the human touch of authentic, empathetic, relationship-driven leadership will become your ultimate competitive advantage.

Bringing authentic relationships to the forefront and growing your people is no longer a nice to have. It’s a survival strategy.

It's the secret weapon for massively growing your revenues, enhancing your profits, and securing your legacy as a leader.

Here's a summary of your action items:

1. Audit your relationships to assess authenticity gaps.

2. Invest in emotional smartness development across leadership levels.

3. Establish relational KPIs to track people-centered success metrics.

4. Create relational routines that demonstrate authentic commitment.

By leading with heart, courage, and authenticity, you will unleash unprecedented growth in your people, your business, and yourself.

When you invest in genuine relationships and the growth of your people, revenues and profits don't just follow, they multiply.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up"

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.