Home Depot’s Yanique Woodall shares the secret to building relationships

Yanique Woodall has cultivated a prestigious career over the last almost 20 years, working for companies like Fujifilm, Avon, 1-800-FLOWERS and currently The Home Depot.

She credits her success as a communicator and adjunct professor to her ability to build quality relationships. She values the opportunity to develop relationships with her students, staying in touch with many of them well after their time together ends. One of her alums has even become a daily contact for her in her current role.

She enjoys watching her former students flourish in their careers, showing just how strong her connection is with them. Teaching has become such a priority for her that when asked about where she finds the time, she responds with her motto, “I never say I don’t have the time; I always say I have to find the time.”

The skills Woodall says make an employee invaluable are many of the factors that go into successfully building relationships with your peers. She values diplomacy, social skills, being proactive, a passion for learning, and a great sense of humor. She understands from personal experience that someone with a passion for developing relationships and effective collaboration can go much farther than someone with a few hard skills.