I turned 45 years old in April. It is hard to believe. I am grateful for where I am today, my faith, my family, my team, my community. The average lifespan in the Unted States today is 78 years. I am shooting for 90. So this means I am now at the half-way point. My desire is to make the second half better than the first; and I intend to spend my time building great relationships – as I believe relationships to be a most valuable part of life.
I have discovered through experience that investing in relationships – both personally and professionally – has been been the most important thing I can do as a leader. Wealth in this “knowledge worker age” (vs. the industrial age) is the dividend received through investment in high-trust relationships. This is quite a contrast from the industrial age, where companies counted their wealth in equipment and capital. Yes, relationships are hard, messy, difficult and uncertain. But they also are the most rewarding aspect of life.
Relationships with people give us purpose, inspiration, encouragement, and comfort. Relationships challenge us. Valuing and investing in relationships are at the core of an abundance- and opportunity-minded leader. The most important skills for growth that human beings possess are imagination and vision – looking into the future and creating that future in our minds. No other species has this ability. The more human minds we can put together, the greater the opportunity for rapid synergy to take place: 1+1=10,100, 1000.
Do you value your relationships? At home, work and in your community?
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