Monday, December 1, 2008

Flow and Networking as a Lifestyle

An example of the Hunger that seems to be necessary to survive in today's business world appears in Penelope Trunk's blog - also an example of why I am really uncomfortable networking.

It is precisely the "networking as a lifestyle" concept that makes me acutely aware of the fakeness surrounding business today. It's not that I think the individuals concerned are bad people .... it's just that I don't like the desperation and neediness of it all. It does not make me feel better that we all need each other equally .... I prefer to act without apparent motive. That goes to some pretty deep wiring .... some may call it prideful, but I prefer my interactions to be without strings attached.

To be conscious of what we can get out of each and every individual is the antithesis of what it takes to be in flow. I would prefer to let personal interactions take their natural course - to flow - but then it may be charged that I am not very good at separating personal from business interactions.

Whatever .... I'm with Samuel Johnson when he said:

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.