I received a message from a bank executive recently that was a reminder of something I've preached to young bankers for over two decades.
I was introduced to this person a while back by mutual friends. He had recently joined the senior management team of a bank I was unfamiliar with.
Over the course of a long dinner and conversation with friends, he picked my brain on various retail banking subjects. All in all, it was a nice chat.
We exchanged contact information, and I looked forward to future communications with my new friend. Developing and maintaining a network of industry contacts and friends is a priority.
And that was the last time that person responded to me until last week. He'd been on my newsletter distribution list and was also a contact on social media. I reached out on more than one occasion to check in on how he was doing.
He never responded to personal notes or as far as I could tell even "liked" a post on social media. I had essentially forgotten this person existed.
When I saw his name pop up in my feed, it took a moment to remember who he was. Then, before opening it, I thought, "I bet I know why he's resurfaced."
Sure enough, his company has eliminated his position, and he was asking for assistance in a job search. He seemed like a decent-enough fellow and isn't nearly the first example I've seen of folks who only pop up when they want something from you.
I hope his job search is a short one. I truly do wish him luck. The level of energy I feel personally compelled to invest in assisting with his search, however, is not particularly high.
I know others in similar positions whom I'm prioritizing assisting as I can. These are people I've interacted with regularly, that I trust would do the same for me.
This situation was a fresh reminder of the importance of continually cultivating goodwill. The human desire for reciprocal relationships runs deep.
For many years, I featured a slide highlighting the fact that researchers believe the desire for reciprocity was a survival instinct developed by our ancestors during hunter/gatherer days.
We humans want to associate with others we trust will return our goodwill. We look out for them, and we trust they will look out for us. Simultaneously, we have a strong desire to disassociate from individuals we do not trust to reciprocate goodwill gestures.
While the stakes may have been a bit higher for our hunter-gatherer ancestors, our fundamental instinct to reciprocate goodwill remains strong.
Consider how often you have approached a building at the same time as a total stranger and they held the door open for you.
A few steps in, there is another set of doors. What do you do? Most will instinctively hold that door open for the stranger who just held a door open for them. We reciprocate their goodwill.
I regularly remind young bankers that the opportunities to create goodwill and strengthen networks are around them every day. These opportunities exist with customers, co-workers and peers. It can be as simple as asking if there is anything you can assist them with.
Even if assistance isn't needed, the offer is remembered. The same is true with something as basic as paying compliments. People remember others who personally acknowledge them or pay them compliments.
We are in a turbulent business environment with more uncertainty on the horizon. With these challenges, however, the opportunities to strengthen and expand personal networks actually increase.
People are more keenly aware of who are the givers and who are the takers these days.
And "giving" doesn't necessarily mean anything financial. It may simply be offering encouragement, or support, or advice.
The small-business customer who has not been personally contacted by a banker in ages may be open to reassessing who they can rely on in tough times. Feeling that your bank is truly there for you is the difference between a bank account and a banking relationship.
I remind bankers that as our industry has become more technology driven, personal gestures and interactions differentiate more than ever.
Yes, extensive friends and contacts networks take time and effort to build. They don't happen overnight.
But I'm reminded of the famous adage that the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago. The second-best time is today.
The check-ins, compliments and assistance we offer customers, peers and contacts this week are investments in our personal networks. They are some of the wisest investments we can make.
