One of your managers heard you have just completed your MBA. He looked at you and smirked and said, All this emphasis on relationships is overrated. I have always made it clear to my subordinates what they need to do if they want to remain employed. All I have to say to them is, Get it done and you will get rewarded, and if not, there will be consequences. It truly is that simple! Developing relationships with employees and suppliers or contractors, all that stuff is only good in the textbooks. It never delivers results. Prepare a response to him and post it on the discussion board.