Because architecture is a personal, collective, and very public creative process, he recognized that only through superior relationships with his designers, benefactors, builders, local politicians and the public could he create living architecture that inspired people.
One of Pei’s gifts was his ability to create relationships with everyone he met that fostered an endless commitment to his work and living art. As one of Pei’s designers said, “He understood how to create a positive climate to work in. Instead of making you work, he made you want to work.”
Pei realized that creating relationships of true value for his work required him to personalize each of his relationships with humility and honesty. This made people trust him. Investors Business Daily reported the following example of how Pei used complete honesty with Jacqueline Kennedy to create a trusted, lifelong relationship.
“When newly widowed Jacqueline Kennedy arrived at Pei’s offices to interview him as a candidate to design the presidential library for her slain husband, she had already spoken to several other prominent architects. Walking into Pei’s modest New York offices, she noticed some fresh flowers in the reception area.”
“My, that’s a beautiful bouquet,” she commented. “Do you always have those?” Pei responded, “Oh no, we only got those for you.”
“At another point during the meeting, Pei said in all honesty that he did not yet know what he would do for a design, should he be awarded the project. His carefully underrated performance was a tour de force. Because of Pei’s honesty, Mrs. Kennedy left convinced that he was the one, and their relationship created a major architectural achievement.”
Connecting With People and Building Trust
To successfully create magnificent architectural works throughout the world, Pei had to understand and manage different personal and community relationships. Like most successful performers, Pei mastered three personal abilities, called Interaction abilities, that helped him forge strong relationships with others:
Communication: “He communicated in ways that helped everyone feel understood.”
Pei communicated in ways that were appropriate within different world cultures and precise enough so his intent was easy for people to understand. His ability to communicate clearly enable him to develop close, trusted relationships. His modest communication style also enabled him to win over critics who later marveled at his forward thinking.
Alliance Building & Reputation Management:“He forged alliances among people and organizations, and managed his global reputation.”
Throughout his life, Pei was able to read other people and use good interpersonal skills to forge cooperative alliances among people and organizations. He knew how to be a team player with others. Pei also managed his reputation by creating a well-crafted image and using self-salesmanship to model the values and image he felt were important to show others.
Political Behavior: “He knew how to read and manage people with the power to help him be successful.”
To successfully bring an architectural idea to reality, Pei relied on his ability to read and manage the politics that swirled around his work and life. In other words, he knew how to develop and manage relationships with the people who had the power to help him be successful.
Throughout Pei’s life, he learned how to master these three abilities to effectively interact with others and create strong personal relationships to advance his life and work.
As a talented performer, you also need to rely on your abilities to interact with others to create the learning, performance, and job growth you want. You need to interact and forge relationships with teachers, coaches, instructors, friends, family members, coworkers and managers in ways that help you progress as a performer. By doing so, you can better get the support you need and develop the reputation you want.
To get started, you can answer the following questions: “How well do other people really know who I am as a person? What is my reputation with others? What can I do to develop stronger relationships that will help me be more successful?” The answers to these questions can provide you with greater insight into your ability to interact with others as a talented performer.
Sources
- Investor's Business Daily
- Mel Levine, Ready or Not, Here Life Comes
