Editor's Focus: May 2001

A Drink I’m Happy to Buy

"It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that matters."

I’m writing this with most of another day behind me and the start of tomorrow just around the corner. As usual, the office is empty and dark, the issue is complete and ready to go, and the designers keep (not-so-subtly) reminding me that another editor’s column awaits my insightful words.

I would have gotten an earlier start on this month’s column, at least by an hour or so, if the phone hadn’t rung a little while ago. A friend on the West Coast, who we’ll call Margarita, was calling with the industry’s rumor du jour and, more importantly, giving me an idea for a column. (I really don’t get enough of those calls!)

This rumor turned out to be false, but Margarita has called me with tips before that have had greater degrees of truth to them. Still, the most important part of those calls is that they come at all, and that they come because of our professional relationship.

The value of relationships like mine with this individual can’t be quantified, and if you’ve got a successful business then I’m sure you can readily point to a number of relationships - either with individuals or groups - that have helped you achieve. What strikes me the most about professional relationships is how often they yield benefits that far exceed what you could ever expect out of them.

How many times have you gotten work through a friendship that developed by a chance meeting? Perhaps you got to know someone by attending chamber of commerce meetings and that person happens to own a large commercial property. Or maybe your old college roommate just got a promotion, a new house and a new landscape.

Talent, intelligence and hard work are certainly critical components to building a successful company. But quality relationships - both with people inside and outside of your company - are a must as well, and you must work to cultivate them.

What have you done lately to start new relationships or strengthen existing ones? Have you referred business to someone who could do the same for you one day? Have you called to wish a colleague happy birthday? Have you taken a business associate to a ballgame? Spending time doing these things won’t make your company an overnight success, but eventually the value will be evident and worthwhile.

So, Margarita, you want that drink frozen or on the rocks?

May 2001
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