Connections are more than names in your Blackberry

Once again my planned topic for this blog must be delayed for a recent situation that is far too important not to be shared. Unfortunately in this case the delay is due to the loss of my dear friend Judy Tralla Franklin. This week’s post is a tribute to her friendship and guidance which helped me greatly in my life’s journey. Jude, thank you doesn’t seem to be quite enough for all you brought to my life. Those of us who had the honor of calling you friend already miss you so very, very much…


How many of us have names in our electronic contact lists that we barely even know? In contrast how many are names of true connections – you know, people who, at one time or another, made a real impact and difference in your business life. Possibly rarer still, how many people have you helped and made a difference in their careers? I was blessed to have a manager who moved beyond a typical business relationship. She saw my potential many years ago and who encouraged me to live up to that potential. This encouragement ultimately reached the point where she pushed me to seek better opportunities, even though it meant me leaving her at a place of employment which was a mess. She knew I could do far better elsewhere and put my best interests above her own. That manager became my dear friend Jude.

Close friendships in business can be taboo but yet it is in these situations where I seem to thrive. After all, I met my husband at work and through the course of our relationship we were both promoted several times. In the one place of work where I was expressly forbidden from having friendships I was extremely unhappy and disengaged from the organization. Needless to say, I left even though it was a good position. Upon reflection, the correlation between the connections that are made and my job satisfaction is strong. This correlation is explored in-depth in the book “Vital Friends” by Tom Rath. The book uses research to support the theory that we shouldn’t discount the value of business friendships as they actually can significantly increase the engagement of employees. It gives real-life examples of the power of friendship in businesses and the consequences when those friendships are forbidden.

Unsure about this “mushy” stuff? Consider this quote from the book: “Everyone talks about the need for work/life balance – but it might not be that easy to separate the two. Your personal life doesn’t stop when you get to work – and you don’t stop thinking about work when you go home at night. Indeed, if work doesn’t even enter your mind at night or on the weekends, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve attained the elusive work/life balance. It’s more likely an indicator of how little you care about your job (Rath, 2006). Not caring about a job is one of the biggest detriments to achieving business acumen. I have written about this before - If you aren’t engaged in what you are doing, how will you ever achieve success?

Creating an environment in our business life that includes a focus towards improved connections and fostering relationships will increase our business acumen. As businesspeople we want to care about our jobs and to do so we need to be more aware of situations that our colleagues, subordinates or customers may be facing. By reaching out to them in with an honest effort of support, we can strengthen our bonds and create a better environment. Yes, there are needy people out there who always seem to be in crisis – I am not referring to them – I am saying reach out to someone you might have something in common with or who just seems to be having a bad day. Invite someone to lunch – talk about anything but work. If you like something someone did – praise them! There are countless ways you can establish a true connection. Read the book – it will give you tips on how to get started. Take that first step; you might uncover a friendship that can change your life. I am so incredibly thankful that Jude took that step…

One short post doesn’t seem to be doing enough justice to what I feel is an extremely important aspect of obtaining business acumen. To learn more about the book, Vital Friends, please visit the website at: https://www.vitalfriends.com/ . I truly believe it is worth your time not only to read the book but live by its advice.