In today’s day and age when increasingly relationships are ‘virtual’ through facebook or twitter, and when communication is via email or text rather than face to face; it remains truer than ever that putting time into building genuine trusting relationships will always generate more benefits and value than the time taken to invest in them.
Yes, the virtual relationships and networks have their place, and an important one at that – and the irony of using them to circulate this blog does not go unnoticed; and yet increasingly I am noticing a trend towards fellow twitterers meeting in person – taking precious time to meet for a coffee or lunch with no set purpose or agenda in mind.
Equally, mass networking does have its advantages in generating more exposure. Yet, most often the best connections are made not when circulating wildly through a room handing out business cards here and there; but by one or two interesting and in depth conversations. Those are the connections that seem to resonate and be remembered.
And when it comes down to it – it is those interactions where there is a genuine connection that start to build relationships and trust. In business, in life; decisions are often made not just on the dollars and cents, not just on someone’s technical ability – but on something much less tangible and yet somehow much more real- the individual person behind the transaction.
What do you think? Do relationships matter to you in business? In today’s fast paced world is there time to invest in the ‘relationship’?
