The Depth of Friendship (in Business)
Hello everyone. It's been a while. I have been very busy with both training engagements and new clients. It's been too long and it's nice to talk with you again.
The fires came through San Diego several weeks ago and turned our worlds upside down. Three people I know lost their homes. They burned to the ground. Another friend was displaced because the house he was renting burned. Personal friends evacuated to my home for three days. We watched the news almost 24/7 hoping against the fear that the fire would again threaten their home, as it did in 2003. It didn't - thankfully.
Through it all, I was reacquainted with the importance and the depth of loving friendship. Many of my close friends live too far away for us to be in each others' everyday lives. Of course we're in each other's every day consciousness. But my San Diego friends who needed a place to go and be safe during a very scary time were welcome here and felt comfortable here. I was blessed to host them. I think the feeling went both ways - as strong friendship does.
Is it possible to have such reciprocal friendship - such caring and intimacy in our business relationships, too? Let me know what you think. I think we are too fearful of each other. Part of me longs for the romanticized past where commitments were affirmed with handshakes or meetings over hamburgers and potato salad after church. It's naive, I know. Nonetheless, I think it's worth pondering how we might bring intimacy and warmth and obvious-out-of-the-closet-type love and commitment for our customers, prospects, colleagues and other business associates. We would surely get more work done with less effort. We would surely have a better time working. We would feel more alive. We would not only feel more connected, we would be more connected. We'd feel less lonely and afraid of what would happen if we didn't succeed. We'd be more creative and committed. We'd have enriched each other's lives. Now that's a vision for business I can embrace.
The fires came through San Diego several weeks ago and turned our worlds upside down. Three people I know lost their homes. They burned to the ground. Another friend was displaced because the house he was renting burned. Personal friends evacuated to my home for three days. We watched the news almost 24/7 hoping against the fear that the fire would again threaten their home, as it did in 2003. It didn't - thankfully.
Through it all, I was reacquainted with the importance and the depth of loving friendship. Many of my close friends live too far away for us to be in each others' everyday lives. Of course we're in each other's every day consciousness. But my San Diego friends who needed a place to go and be safe during a very scary time were welcome here and felt comfortable here. I was blessed to host them. I think the feeling went both ways - as strong friendship does.
Is it possible to have such reciprocal friendship - such caring and intimacy in our business relationships, too? Let me know what you think. I think we are too fearful of each other. Part of me longs for the romanticized past where commitments were affirmed with handshakes or meetings over hamburgers and potato salad after church. It's naive, I know. Nonetheless, I think it's worth pondering how we might bring intimacy and warmth and obvious-out-of-the-closet-type love and commitment for our customers, prospects, colleagues and other business associates. We would surely get more work done with less effort. We would surely have a better time working. We would feel more alive. We would not only feel more connected, we would be more connected. We'd feel less lonely and afraid of what would happen if we didn't succeed. We'd be more creative and committed. We'd have enriched each other's lives. Now that's a vision for business I can embrace.
