Last week, Matt, Todd, Jonathan, and I got together in Syracuse for what we call our “Growth Group,” and as I sat reflecting afterward, it was another reminder of just how important relationships are in both business and life.
Five years ago, I didn’t even know any of these guys. Today, I consider them some of my closest friends. That’s an interesting thing about life. Sometimes the people who end up having the greatest impact on your personal and professional growth are people who weren’t even in your orbit a handful of years ago.
Yes, we all happen to work in the same industry, but that’s not really why we’re connected. The connection comes from shared values and perspectives. We all care deeply about our families, our employees, our clients, and the people we serve. We believe in trying to do the right thing consistently, even when it’s difficult, even when nobody sees it. We believe that success is built by stacking good habits, good decisions, and good deeds day after day.
What’s also interesting is that while all of us have attained some level of success, at least as someone somewhere might define success, we’ve all managed to check our egos at the door. I truly believe some level of humility is necessary for real growth. That doesn’t mean being weak. It doesn’t mean being a pushover. It doesn’t mean you celebrate failure. It simply means understanding when it’s time to be confident and when it’s time to be humble. There’s a balance there that matters. The ability to listen, learn, ask questions, admit mistakes, and still push forward with conviction is incredibly important. I believe these guys understand that, and I hope I do too.
Over the course of my career, I’ve been blessed to know dozens of men and women who have impacted my life. I’ve written before about my first mentor and several others who shaped my thinking and helped guide me along the way. At this stage in my life, I find myself doing more mentoring than being mentored, and I suppose that’s just part of the natural progression of things. But that doesn’t mean we stop needing people around us who challenge us, sharpen us, encourage us, and make us think differently.
That’s what this group does for me.
We challenge each other not only in what we do, but how we do it. We talk about business, leadership, culture, family, employees, client relationships, personal struggles, growth, and life in general. Sure, we joke around and make fun of each other constantly, but underneath all of that is real trust and real respect.
The reality is, we don’t live close to each other, and we certainly don’t see each other every week. But we intentionally make time to stay connected. Text messages, calls, social media, occasional trips, and making the effort to get together outside of conferences or work obligations matters. Those moments build camaraderie. They build trust. They make deposits into the emotional bank account so that when difficult questions need to be asked, they can be asked honestly and without judgment.
I truly believe these guys would do anything they could for me and my family, and I would do the same for them.
As I get older, I continue to believe more and more that the relationships we intentionally invest in shape the quality of both our businesses and our lives. Having a group of people who challenge the status quo, challenge each other, and push one another to keep improving is incredibly valuable. In many ways, it may be one of the most important things of all.
Here’s to friendship.
Here’s to growth.
Here’s to relationships that make us all better.
#GrowthGroup #JWCOLE #MOC