As a young boy I loved the game of baseball. I found the game full of physics, geometry, probability, and all those petty rules to be so intriguing! Perhaps this is not the same reason others like the game, but we are not here to judge, are we?
We are not here to judge, are we?
Oddly this question brings me to my point. While I loved the game, it did not love 
me back – or more specifically, my coach did not love me back. Perhaps you can relate by replacing “coach” with “boss” or “supervisor.”
As an unskilled baseball player, my coach did not like having me on his team. He thought I was a liability, rather than an asset like the other 12 players on the team. My team mates loved me for my effort, sense of humor, and ability to help them in positioning through my understanding of the game’s trends and strategies.
The coach focused on everything I did wrong which, for an unskilled player in a game where Hall of Fame players fail 65% of the time when batting, is overwhelming. He berated me and insulted me for the entire season. It was more than I could stand, so the following season I decided to not return to my team and the game I loved.
While my coach had achieved his goal, he had also alienated my team mates. They were unhappy with the mistreatment of their friend, and three of the better players found a select team to join. This left the team with eight returning players. The coach could not find any other players and could not convince me to return. Thus fell the “Stone Mountain Thundering Herd” of the DeKalb County Little League.
Relationships Matter
My little story of retention holds very true in our business world as well. There are many reasons why we are motivated to go out and do the same things every day, and just as many why we could stop doing them. For some people, it’s the elements of the job itself. For others it’s the environment, such as helping people in a stressful place like a hospital. Maybe it’s the people you get to work with, or maybe it’s that really funny guy in Accounting!
Keep this in mind during all your touches with vendors, suppliers, and partners. Do you treat them like an asset or a liability?
We hope every interaction leaves you feeling like an asset, and look forward to building our relationship with you for years to come.