The older I get, the more I realize just how important relationships are. No, I don’t mean those warm and fuzzy relationships that are part of our personal lives. I mean relationships between and amongst all people, groups and organizations.
First off, I have a confession to make. I am not a relational person at heart. My natural bend is to work off a to-do list and take care of the tasks. I have a job to do and I will get it done – efficiently, effectively and on time. It has only been through trial and error that I have discovered something interesting. Even in the business world, focusing solely on the tasks at hand can rob both you and your organization.
This topic came up yet again when I had lunch with a friend from www.boldlogic.ca. She was sharing with me her perspective on what happens when people bring all that they are to their work. In the past, I viewed that as dysfunctional. After all, work shouldn’t be everything, should it? I think I had it backwards. I was confusing bringing everything I am to a job with making my job everything I am.
If I don’t bring everything I am to my work, then how can the people I work beside, with and for, get the most from me? If they don’t know me, why would they even want to work with me? If I concentrate only on getting the tasks done, but bring nothing of my personality or my unique perspective on life to the table, have I really been effective?
As I look back over my work life, I can see times when I have completed the necessary tasks, but failed at achieving the ultimate goal. I can also see that it was because I didn’t tend to the relationships. I neglected to consider the people around me – people who have brought their own concerns, insecurities, strengths and interests to their jobs.
Whether you are a networking entrepreneur, a student looking for a mentor, an office manager looking for cooperation for their staff or a non-profit organization building relationships with other organizations, relationships are at the root of all we do.
