Business is personal

Yesterday was an interesting day, I had two informal meetings, one over lunch and the other over coffee. The first, a "get to know you" session with a recent networking connection and the second with an acquaintance who I have known for several years. Both encounters delved into deeply personal conversations, emphasizing the importance of genuine connection.

Upon reflection, I’ve come to the realisation that such informal meetings between equals, can go deeper than one would in say, a formal job interview. Merely discussing academic backgrounds doesn't create genuine connection; authentic relationships are built on shared insights and personal experiences.

We all want to “know” the people we are choosing to interact with, but that only comes from spending time together, where we share insights, about what really matters. To paraphrase the wisdom of Brene Brown, in order to allow connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen … to be really seen.

After these engaging conversations, I left feeling privileged to have connected with brave and inspiring individuals who embody positive living and resilience. It was a poignant reminder that business interactions are inherently personal.

To nurture relationships effectively, my top tips include:

- showing up authentically, we have to be “in the room” for anything to happen.
- letting the other person guide the conversation
- approaching meetings with an open mind, just being happy to connect
- going prepared to share and / or help where possible
- investing time in the relationship, while understanding that it takes time for ‘trust’ to evolve.

What do YOU do to cultivate and sustain meaningful relationships?