Building relationships is the essence of the community college. Higher education administrators learned long ago that building rapport with businesses, state and local government, and constituents is the best way to represent the interests of the community. But that does not make it easy. Board members come and go and the shifting dynamics of group often create clashes of personalities and management styles. It is not unusual for presidents to fear for their jobs, especially if the information they present to the board is different from what was envisioned. Successful presidents say that building relationships takes fortitude, a knack for the art of persuasion and, in many cases, a willingness to step outside their comfort zone. Leaders interviewed for this article recommend a number of steps for fostering stronger relationships with board members and other stakeholders in one's community.