Press the flesh

I wasn’t going to write about this today, but Khalil Aleker’s comment on Facebook (see image to the left) has spurred me on. Many people ask these type of questions, and they’re valid. Are business cards still necessary? Are meetings still necessary? Are board rooms still necessary? Are books still necessary?

The answer is “yes” to all of these questions. I believe that moderation is crucial in all aspects of life. Yes, Web 2.0 and Social Media have changed industries and many business and communication fundamentals, but we need not – and should not – discard everything that worked well before.

Press the flesh is a term I picked up in a book called The Rules of Entrepreneurship by Rob Yeung. [I incorrectly referred to it as "Touch the flesh" in a recent seminar - apologies.] It refers to meeting people and shaking their hands. I believe this is vital. I try to have a few meetings every week. One per day would be great, but currently that’s just not possible with all the desk work I have to do. Meetings are great, they reveal a lot about the people that we’re doing business with (partners, associates, clients) – but even more importantly, they help build the relationship like no online activity can. It’s all about relationships, isn’t it? It’s all about people, isn’t it? I also have a policy to not have my MacBook out at a first meeting. I am surprise how rushed people are to get out their laptops and do some screen-dazzling. Nope. I want to get to know the person first. Let’s talk.

A few months ago someone who does similar work to what I do posted something on Facebook. He said that we should do away with all boardrooms and meeting rooms, and all meetings should take place online. I think that’s absurd. I’ll even go as far as to say it’ll never happen.

Throwing the baby out with the bath water is almost never a good idea. Adapt, yes. Change, yes. Grow, yes. Innovate, yes. Have blinkers on, no!

I still use business cards, even though I know that if you Google my name you will find so much information about me. Business cards still help when meeting people, and they also help in giving contact information to people who are not online all day like we are (yes, there still are many of those types of people). Meetings are irreplaceable. However, I must say this. I meet when I feel it’s a good thing to meet. I’m fully aware that many people and organisations are stuck in having-meetings-about-other-meetings syndrome, and they waste hours each month in unproductive activity. This is not a good thing. I have many online meetings (using tools such a Skype and Dimdim), and I even do coaching and seminars online – but I balance those with personal meetings and events. Boardrooms? Like books, I think they’re going to be around for a VERY long time. There’s too much value in these things for them to be replaced overnight. Maybe in 50 years things will be different, I don’t know. But we’re talking about our current situation, and perhaps the near future.

Rob Yeung says:

“Touch trumps tech every time…A single meeting a day may win you more business than hours of phone calls, letter writing, and emails combined…Secure that contact and press the flesh.”

It all about balance, I guess.