The Power of People, Indeed

Chris Homa

Senior Relationship Management Executive

Red Rock Strategic Partners CEO, Matt Johnston recently shared a new Perspectives on Growth commentary titled: The Power of People.  In my almost 12 years working for Matt, I’ve probably heard him share this important message over a hundred times with our clients, partners, and colleagues.  Today it hit me a little differently than in the past because of a profoundly human moment I experience last week. 

During my daughter’s spring break, my family, along with 2 other families, spent the week in Aruba.  Our first night on the island, we went to dinner at a large, crowded, loud restaurant absolutely teeming with life.  Near the end of dinner, my friend Joe burst into an unexpected and prolonged sneezing fit.  While joking with him after, an older gentleman at the table across from us asked Joe if he was okay.  Joe said he was fine and then being the gregarious and outgoing man he is, Joe sent the older gentleman a drink with his compliments.  When the waiter sent over the drink, the man approached Joe, thanked him, and asked why he did that.  Joe responded, half-jokingly, “you were the only person in this entire restaurant that seemed genuinely concerned about my well-being.”  They shared a laugh and then large extended family at their table began talking and joking with the families at our table.  It was wonderful conversation.  We even learned that live about 30 minutes away from us in suburban Philadelphia.

As both tables began settling up our checks and preparing to leave the wife of the older gentlemen ran over to Joe, gave him a hug and began crying.  When Joe asked if everything was okay, she responded, “I can’t believe I’m sharing this with a complete stranger, but my husband has terminal stage IV pancreatic cancer and not long to live.  You have no idea how much it means to our family seeing him smile like that and giving us a moment we will always remember.”  Joe’s wife Nicole then began to cry and share with the women that she had recently lost her father to pancreatic cancer as well and how sorry she was that her family was going through what she knew all too well.  By the end of the dinner, I do not think there was a dry eye at either table (except, of course, for the three 14-year-old boys who had their heads buried in their iPhones, completely oblivious to everything that was happening around them). 

As we all said our goodbyes, our wives took the kids outside for gelato, and the fathers at the table sat and discussed what had just happened.  An experience I certainly will never forget filled with empathy, tears of sorrow, tears of joy, and love and concern for people we had literally just met.  Simply the best of pure, unadulterated humanity. 

I understand that every experience in life will not be that meaningful, but I have been thinking about that moment a lot since it occurred. I am sure that much like you, what I hear everyday is focused on tamping down our humanity:  data is king, take emotion out of your decision-making, think strategically, how can we automate this to make it faster?  I am not saying these things are not critical to success, what I am saying is perhaps we can be even more successful if we frame our problem-solving efforts and anchor our solutions in how they affect both people and the bottom line.  Perhaps that sounds a bit altruistic and naïve, but if 23 years in financial services has taught me anything it’s that when you take care of people first, good results follow.  100 years from now the most advanced AI, computing, and VR will never be able to replicate the feeling I experienced on a random Tuesday evening, 2,000 miles from home with a family of strangers.  Consider the impact you can have on those your lead, work with, and serve every day if you add a little more humanity back into the process and harness the truly remarkable power of people.   

PS:  In the 5 minutes between finishing this blog post and sending it to my marketing partner, the last 3 emails I have received are:

• Transform your workflows with AI from Box

• An invitation to a webcast from Think Advisor about streamlining estate planning with digital tools and AI

• An article from American Banker about how digital transformation is impacting physical branches

Perhaps I’m on to something here.