We live in the era of “its all about me.”
But the thing about it is, the types of relationships people have been building are superficial and often leave everyone feeling a little low from the encounter.
I’m not sure if the driver for this is the Internet, income inequality, cell phones, or what.
I am sure that if you are trying to establish and grow a business, a section of a business, or just have a fuller life, you need to take a longview to your relationships.
Why?
First, in business, unless it is a commodity, people do business with people that they like and trust.
There are exceptions to the rule, sure.
But in most cases, if no one likes you, your business is going to go down.
Second, typically your ability to create value increases the better you know someone.
If you are initiating a business relationship, no one is going to come out of the gate telling you their darkest concerns and biggest challenges.
At least not most of the time.
And, early in a relationship, you aren’t going to have the ability to know all of the key players, all of the challenges, and all of the opportunities.
So your best advice is likely limited by the scope of your knowledge.
Finally, if you aren’t building long term relationships your business is likely to be in a perpetual boom or bust cycle.
Why is that?
Because you are going to always be chasing the next deal.
If you are building solid working relationships, your deal life is going to be longer. The time you spend working with a client is going to be longer.
This is going to make your revenue cycle more secure.
Don’t take my word for it though.
Just look at your business.
What’s happening with you?