Success Is Found in Older, Deeper Truths

Human beings are novelty seeking creatures. We are infinitely creative, and equally resourceful. We are always seeking ways to improve things. Right now, technology is delivering these improvements at a blisteringly fast pace. What’s new may offer improvements in some areas, but success is often found in older, deeper truths.

Last week I was forwarded an email from a salesperson. She wrote, “You would appreciate this guy’s persistence.” The only problem with her email was that there was no “guy.” Instead, the string of emails was an automated campaign pretending to be communication.

There is nothing wrong with automating some communication, but there is something missing when that communication needs to create a human connection, to create a preference, and to allow the salesperson to gain an appointment. Imagine if your spouse called the florist and ordered flowers to be delivered to you every year on the same date. There would be a certain efficiency, but a massive lacking of effectiveness.

In human relationships, trust is the currency. Efficiency, in many cases, is the elimination of caring and the exclusion of intimacy when it comes to relationships.

The technologies we use allows us to communicate over great distances. Being able to use hardware and software for meetings has made meetings easier—and in many ways—more effective. Distance is no longer a barrier. The ability to see one another has improved communication.

But your digital presence, while being much greater than an email or phone call, is no match for your physical presence. Presence, showing up, actually being in the room with people is still far more powerful, still more effective, still creates a greater connection and intimacy, and still creates a preference.

Stay aware of the new technologies and use them where and when they make sense. But don’t lose sight of the fact that over the long term, the advantage you gain is far greater when you focus on older, deeper truths. Things like integrity, character, trust, intimacy, resourcefulness, determination, and accountability will do far more to improve your overall results where human beings are concerned.