Connection

#WeeklyNRG – A Snapshot of All Things #NRG

This week’s theme? Connection. Make the effort, listen properly, and look for opportunities to collaborate rather than compete.

Last week was busy. Busy, busy, busy.

I landed back on Tuesday 2am and was on a call with Australia at 7am that morning. Not an approach to rest I’d recommend, and certainly not evidence that I’ve mastered the boundaries I wrote about last week.

From there, I barely stopped. But what stayed with me wasn’t simply how much I fitted in. It was how much I enjoyed spending time with people — and hearing what had been happening in their lives.

The Weekly Debrief

Three birthdays, catch-ups with three friends, two business lunches or dinners, and a mixture of coaching sessions, board meetings and client workshops. On Thursday evening, I was also a panellist at an event.

I even met someone famous. Twice. Clearly, once wasn’t enough.

And somewhere along the way, I helped a colleague remove a kitchen unit so a washing machine could be replaced. That certainly wasn’t in the diary at the start of the day. Collaboration took a rather practical turn.

There was also a little charity shopping and some reading while watching the rugby. I do like to keep my options open.

Yet the moments I particularly valued were often the simplest. Sitting down with someone, asking, “So, what have you been up to?” and then listening.

Not rushing to the next question. Not waiting for my turn to share. Just enjoying hearing about their lives.

Of course, people wanted to hear about my adventures too. But after being away, I loved catching up with what had been happening in their worlds.

I had made the effort. I planned ahead, shifted things around and protected opportunities to see people. And I was so glad I did.

The Week Ahead

Today is about working and meeting colleagues in Cardiff before travelling to France tomorrow with my father-in-law — a lovely opportunity to spend some time together and catch up.

The rest of the week brings online meetings, and on Thursday evening I’m speaking to the 5 to 9 Club about fundraising and investment.

A different rhythm from last week, but still plenty of opportunities to connect, share ideas and work together. Hopefully, with a little more sleep in between.

Lessons Learnt

Esther Perel puts it beautifully:

“The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives.”

That thought sits at the heart of her conversation with Simon Sinek on A Bit of Optimism: “Why Relationships Are the Secret to a Long, Happy Life with Psychotherapist Esther Perel.” Their discussion explores relationships in both love and work, including why we cannot expect one person to provide everything we need from a community.[simonsinek]

It resonated with my week. Family, friends, colleagues, clients — each relationship brings something different. Shared history, a fresh perspective, laughter, challenge, support. I believe those relationships are vital to my happiness, not something to squeeze in once the “important” work is finished.

And it has made me think about what “connect and collaborate, don’t compete” means in practice.

For me, it means entering a conversation with curiosity rather than feeling I need to prove something. Being willing to share an idea or make an introduction without immediately calculating the return. Recognising that another person’s experience or success might be something to learn from, rather than measure myself against.

Sometimes it means working through a business challenge together. Sometimes it means helping move a kitchen unit.

The friendship and the business relationship don’t need to be the same thing. But I want to bring the same genuine interest to both: Who are you? What matters to you? What are you working through?

There is a boundary lesson here too. I don’t want to confuse a packed diary with a connected life. Last week was rewarding, but the 2am arrival followed by a 7am call is not a routine I want to repeat.

The goal isn’t to fit in more people at any cost. It’s to make deliberate room for the relationships I value — and have enough energy left to be present when I get there.

Here’s to making the effort, asking a good question and staying long enough to hear the answer. Just the right dose of #NRG.

Who could you make a little uninterrupted time for this week?