Build Trust - Importance of simply being there
People need to communicate. We are social creatures, some more than others, but we all need some kind of social interaction. Think about why solitary confinement in prison is such a punishment. To be cut off from outside contact and be left alone with just your thoughts! Now, I know that to some of you, running around like crazy right now, that sounds like a little piece of Heaven, but in reality we need contact. Therefore, it is important to never underestimate the importance of simply being there.
Not long after I moved to America, I was working in a small town when an accident rocked the local community. The receptionist of the main office I worked in was out to lunch with her husband and three young children, when a car plough through the restaurant window, killing her and leaving her husband in critical condition at the hospital. He eventually pulled through, but was then faced with raising three young children on his own. I barely knew the lady, and when a close friend and colleague challenged me about not attending the funeral, I indicated I thought it would have been insensitive for me to attend, as I did not know the lady in question very well. My friend was a few years older than me and dismissed this, saying young pups like me needed to understand the importance of simply being there. Now, I hope you will never have to be there for a customer or team member who is going through a tragedy. However, sometimes people simply need a shoulder to cry on, or a friendly ear to bend. Do you have those relationships in place? Do people trust you enough to turn to you in a time of need? If so, how can you perpetuate these and teach others to do the same? If not, what would it take to get there?
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