Blogmaster’s note: Jay Scherr and I met via Rob Thomas and we soon discovered we had grown up 1 block apart although in different periods of time. I always say the good people all know each other, but this took interconnectivity to a new level! Jay and I uncovered a lot of similar concepts that drive us, and he asked me to be on his podcast, which aired June 4th. His radio-voice, his warmth and his introspective interview style hooked me that he is a “keeper” in my entourage of great connections. Here he shows why relationships such as ours, and his with his wife (which I will not try to compete with!) matter so much, require work and investment so deeply that it is must be a part of our DNA! Thanks, Jay for the call to action!
I’m writing this on the morning on my 30th wedding anniversary. I’m replete with emotion as I reflect on the journey my wife and I have experienced to date. The thing I keep coming back to and that which I’m extremely grateful for is the strength of our relationship. It’s the cornerstone of our marriage. This didn’t just happen organically.
At its core, a healthy relationship requires trust, good communication, empathy, respect, and giving of one’s self. It takes work – and plenty of it. This applies to both personal and professional relationships. A relationship is analogous to a garden. You till the soil, plant seeds, add fertilizer, pull weeds, and enjoy its bounty. We must invest the time to cultivate and care for our relationships in order for them to develop, thrive and have the strongest chance of surviving the inevitable ups and downs we face.
Just as we grow and change as individuals, so goes our relationships. Attempting to hold onto what was is the cause of great suffering. There was a time when I didn’t understand this and I tried desperately to fight change, unsuccessfully of course.
What’s important is that we recognize that building a solid, resilient and long-lasting relationship takes hard work, care, commitment, patience, acceptance, and maintenance.
I was honored to have Scott Miller, EVP of Thought Leadership at FranklinCovey, on my show recently and he spoke about the need for leaders today to check in, not check on. He’s absolutely right. It’s a subtle, yet powerful shift. How are you doing? How is your family? What’s worrying you today? What’s exciting you today? How can I help you?
These are questions we should be asking with sincerity. There is no better time than right now. Here’s your call to action. Look through your LinkedIn connections and check in with those you haven’t reached out to in a while. You’ll be amazed with the responses you receive, and you’ll build deeper, more meaningful relationships. This is what cultivating and caring are all about.
Jay Scherr is the owner of J. Scott Consulting Services, a business improvement coaching and consulting company. He specializes in helping entrepreneurs and small business owners and leaders break through pain, transform their business, and achieve the results they deserve.
Jay is also the host of Business Minds Coffee Chat, a conversational style business show spotlighting business leaders and influencers with the goal of sharing insights and helping to lift up and inspire others with practical, meaningful, and actionable content.
Jay is a husband and father, speaker, musician, part-time trivia host, mentor, Rotarian, and is actively involved in a number of business organizations.
