Have you ever heard of it? Well familiar with ROI or return on investment, I began to think differently yesterday after a networking breakfast. Our speaker Dewan Clayborn of the Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce challenged us with a new idea—replacing ROI with Return on Relationship or ROR as a new metric for business. And he asked us to “sell through” one another instead of “selling to” one another.
Consider his point for a minute. It is the relationships that we cultivate in our lives that lead to better business opportunities. Better working relationships also lead to a better home life.
Making connections and keeping connections are hugely important to my husband. In fact, that is why I am now his wife. You see Greg and I met 30 years ago in graduate school. We stayed loosely connected over the years– a few surprise meetings at the Pentagon and then several years ago we ran into one another at a reception. He would call once or twice a year to check in on me to discover how I was doing and more importantly to him, how he could help. When I was writing my book, I called him to ask if he would consider writing an endorsement. “Of course,” he replied.
Then about two and half years ago I asked him to be a guest speaker in my leadership class at Vanderbilt. He again said “of course”. Shortly thereafter, we saw our relationship in a new and refreshing way, built on decades of friendships. The following year he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said “YES!”
The relationships that you form early are those that do not have any expectations, except for friendship. As those relationships grow, so do trust, admiration, and in our case marriage. Business relationships are no different.
I moved to Annapolis last year. We got married three months ago and we are celebrating our friendship through the sacrament of marriage. How would you define your relationships? How is your brand seen through the eyes of those relationships? My husband has helped me see the value on the return on our relationship so much so that I’m rebranding my life and business in the National Capitol Region.
How’s that for ROR?
I’m flying high,
Barbara
Connect with me at CaptainBarbaraBell.com. Of course, check out my book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High.
#leadership, #chamberofcommerce, #culture, #relationships, #womenveterans, #veterans, #coaching,#mentoring
