Successful businesses are built on strong relationships. Business leaders often need to step into the shoes of a diplomat, developing and managing complex relationships with many diverse groups.

成功的職業(yè)生涯是建立在強大的人脈基礎(chǔ)上的。商界領(lǐng)袖們常常需要用外交的眼光和各種各樣的人發(fā)展和維持復(fù)雜的人際關(guān)系。

"There is a lot of common ground between diplomacy and business," says Carey Cavanaugh, a professor of diplomacy at the University of Kentucky and a former U.S. ambassador stationed all over the world for over two decades under both the Clinton and Bush administrations. "Entrepreneurs can draw from the diplomatic tool box to be more effective," he says.

“外交和商業(yè)之間有很多交際，”肯塔基大學外交學教授，曾在克林頓總統(tǒng)和布什總統(tǒng)在任期間擔任美國駐多個國家大使的加里·卡瓦納表示，“企業(yè)家們可以從外交手段的寶庫中獲取很多能幫助他們變得更有效率的東西。”

Try these tips from a seasoned diplomat's toolbox to help you build solid business relationships that last.

以下技巧來自一位老練外交家的思想寶庫，它們能幫助你建立穩(wěn)固的人際關(guān)系。

1. Be honest about what you can reveal.

1.對于你能透露的東西要坦誠。

Diplomats are known as "people who lie for their countries," and corporations are often seen as equally deceitful. But in both cases, telling the truth is essential for success. Truth builds a solid reputation, It's the key to establishing long-term relationships that you can rely on in a crunch.

外交家們是那些“為了自己的國家而說謊的人”，公司也常常被認為同樣具有欺騙性。但兩者之間相同的是，說真話對于成功來說都是不可或缺的。真話能建立起穩(wěn)定的聲譽，這對于建立你能在危急時刻倚靠的長期穩(wěn)定的關(guān)系是非常重要的。

When secrecy is essential, with an upcoming product launch or a private personnel issue, don't compromise honesty. You can keep secrets and still tell the truth, Just be honest about what you can and cannot say.

當你必須保密時，比如面對一個即將發(fā)行的產(chǎn)品或是私密的個人文件，不要違背誠實。你可以繼續(xù)保守秘密，同時說些真話，你只要坦誠地說明什么是你可以說的，什么你不可以說。

2. Do your research.

2.做好研究。

Just as a diplomat would learn about a culture's customs before a visit, learn as much as you can before you try to connect with a customer, peer, or potential partner. Learn what they value, how they behave, what their long-term interests are, and what they need or want.

就像一個外交家會在出訪前研究好該國的文化一樣，當你要和一位客戶、同僚或是潛在的伙伴聯(lián)系時，你也要盡可能地做好研究。要知道他們的價值觀，行為準側(cè)，興趣以及他們需要什么。

Use that knowledge to help you craft your message or product, address specific needs, and show that you understand their values.

利用這些知識來構(gòu)造你的語言和產(chǎn)品，處理特殊需求，并向他們表明，你了解他們的價值觀。

3. Listen more than you talk.

3.多聽少說。

Diplomats and business people have a reputation for being pushy, but the best take time to listen. Half the job is about saying what you want or need, but the other half is listening, It's as important to listen as it is to speak.

外交家和商人都被認為是非常咄咄逼人的人，但你最好多花些時間去聆聽。“工作的一半是表達你的需求，另一半就是聆聽。聽與說一樣重要。

Listening makes the other party feel valued, helps you identify their needs, and allows you to respond more creatively. When you listen, you can often find solutions that evade others, making you more likely to reach your goals.

聆聽能使對方感覺受到了重視，能幫助你了解他們的需求，還能幫助你作出更富有創(chuàng)造性的回應(yīng)。當你聆聽的時候，你常?？梢哉业教颖軐Ψ絾栴}的方法，這樣能讓你離成功更進一步。

4. Don't discount the little guys.

4.不要忽略那些不起眼的人。

The relationships you're building today, even those that seem inconsequential, are worth attention and care. Relationships that don't seem important now will come back to you later, though you won't know when or how.

你今天所建立的人際關(guān)系，即使是那些看起來無關(guān)緊要的人，都是值得你關(guān)注的。今天看起來不重要的關(guān)系有可能在日后會變得很重要，即使你不知道會在何時何處。

A casual acquaintance may be the key to your next innovation, just as a tiny country may be the next major oil source for a diplomat. Build lasting relationships by treating others with integrity and giving your full attention when you're with them.

今天一個普通的熟人或許會是你下一項創(chuàng)舉的關(guān)鍵。這就好像在外交上，一個不起眼的小國家很可能會是下一個重要的石油產(chǎn)地。誠信待人，并在和別人在一起的時候給他們充分的關(guān)注，才能和他們建立起長期穩(wěn)定的關(guān)系。

5. Stay true to your values.

5.堅持你的價值觀。

In any negotiation or business decision, choose solutions that fit your values, even if they're not the easiest or cheapest options. When you deviate from [your values], there’s a hard price to pay. It takes a long time to get a reputation back.

在做任何談判或商業(yè)決定時，要選擇符合你價值觀的解決方案，即使那不是最簡單，最便宜的方案。一旦你背棄了你的價值觀，你就要付出巨大的代價。你要花很長時間才能把失去的聲譽賺回來。

It's easiest to lose your values when you're getting impatient or growing rapidly, so in those moments, remember what you stand for. The more you act on consistent values, the stronger your business will be in the long run and the more your consumers will trust you.

當你失去耐心或者進展迅速時是最容易放棄你的價值觀的。所以在這些時候，你一定要記住你代表的是什么。你越是能夠堅持一貫的原則，你的公司就能發(fā)展得更長久，你的客戶也就會更相信你。