You can right the world in an hour with a friend

It's been a minute?Catherine

I had coffee with a friend and half of my problems were gone by the time we left.

Admittedly, it was closer to two hours than one because we couldn't stop talking.

We sat in our favourite indy coffee shop in town and settled into the comfy sofa in the corner, me with a pot of tea, and her with a flat white.? And over the coming two hours, at speed, we poured our hearts out, offloaded worries and emotions, shared moments of joy, cried and laughed.

We tackled back to school anxieties and reassured each other that our kids would be ok and shared our previous experiences.

?We moaned about midlife hormones and shared our latest findings and results.

?We laughed at online dating matches and made my friend's Bumble profile a little less....spiky shall we say.

And so many more things.

It's therapy.

And it's an essential part of my life that I always make time for.

So, why, in business do we create:

??Fixed agendas?

??Rushed get togethers?

??Meetings where one person does all the talking?

???Discussions without absolute advice, actions and plans?

Because we don't value the people in the room like we do our friends?

Because we want to be somewhere else?

Because we don't care?

What's the takeaway?

Let your guard down I'm not suggesting you bring your personal business to the next team meeting, but show up, be present, and bring everything you want to talk about.

Be kind Give frank and honest input with humility and grace.

Bring biscuits. It makes everything better.

Be accountable Message after a meeting with a progress update.

Be present Actually present, not checking your phone.

?? The best coffee on the planet, a barraquito, Google it.

Until I see you out there,

Catherine.