better business blog

Tips and stories to add value to you and your organisation

Hot Tub Heaven

21 September 2014

How far would you go to build trust with a client? Do you think of work as being 9-to-5 and involving serious conversations, taking notes and having a clear purpose?

I used to.

And then since working in my own business for the last 11 years I’ve been slowly pushing the boundaries of what ‘work’ actually is. I remember that I used to wear my suit and tie, in order to feel like a ‘proper’ coach when I first started and now it’s chinos for the Summer and smart blue jeans for the Winter.

I used to have business greeting meetings, full of serous intent, and now when I’m networking I invite people out for cake. I think that cake is the currency of a modern business economy and the more I’ve eaten, the better business has become.

All this leads us to hot tub heaven, where a few weeks ago I was invited out for lunch by a client and had the chance to spend a happy hour in their hot tub. Sitting soaking under a pleasant sun, we chatted about life and work and connected at a deeper level than would have been possible if parked solemnly in an office.

Of course we had to be careful the cake didn’t get soggy!

Business is about doing what is right for the benefit of our clients and our own long term profitability. Good business is founded on relationships and if we grasp new ways of working and give ourselves permission to have fun in the sun then we can build long lasting friendships.

So, this week we can all give ourselves permission to define ‘work’ in new ways ….ways that make us smile and enable us to maintain relationships with people. Maybe have cake, lose the tie, go beach walking perhaps. Or…

Hot tub anyone?

Next week: Self coaching