3 Quick Wins for Building Relationships Through Positivity: Lessons from Leading Brands

Building strong relationships – whether with clients, colleagues, or your own community – doesn’t have to wait for a company-wide initiative. Small, intentional actions compound quickly and here are three “quick wins” that we hope can add value to your relationships.

1. Practice Gratitude: The Two-Minute Recognition Ritual

Quick win:
End every call or huddle by thanking one person for a specific contribution. Two minutes is all it takes.

Why it works:
Employees who regularly receive recognition are 20 % more productive and 21 % more likely to stay, according to a 2024 Gallup study (source).

Brand in action:
Starbucks’ “Everyday Uplift” platform lets baristas shout-out peers in real time, reinforcing a culture of appreciation that boosts job satisfaction and drives retention.

2. Focus on the Good: Start Meetings With Wins

Quick win:
Open the agenda with “one bright spot” from each participant before diving into problems. This reframes challenges and nudges the team toward solution-oriented thinking.

Why it works:
Workplaces that consistently spotlight positives report 10 % higher customer loyalty and 23 % greater profitability.

Brand in action:
Canada’s 2025 Best Workplaces list shows top employers doubling down on trust-building rituals—like celebrating micro-wins—to steady teams amid economic uncertainty.

3. Embrace Challenges Together: Run a “Lightning AAR”

Quick win:
After any setback (a lost pitch, a delayed shipment), gather for a 10-minute After-Action Review: what happened, why, and one improvement for next time. Frame the conversation as collective learning—not blame.

Why it works:
The 2025 O.C. Tanner Global Culture Report (summary) links shared resilience practices to higher empathy and faster skill development, both predictors of long-term retention.

Brand in action:
In healthcare, Mayo Clinic teams hold rapid debriefs after complex procedures—reducing errors and strengthening cross-department trust (a model now adopted by tech and manufacturing firms).

Putting It All Together

Positivity is a muscle: the more deliberately you flex it, the stronger your relationships become. Start with gratitude today, highlight a win tomorrow, schedule your first Lightning AAR next week, and block out a volunteer afternoon this quarter. These four micro-habits cost little – but, as the data and case studies show, they deliver outsized returns in engagement, loyalty, and bottom-line performance.

Your move: Which quick win will you try first? Tag us on LinkedIn with your story and keep the ripple of positivity going.