NSF

I was reading a friend's blog and it reminded me of a seminar I'd attended years ago. The seminar was about teambuilding, becoming leaders and all those "soft skills" that many people lack. A lot of time was spent on "Relationship Accounts".

What is a "Relationship Account"?
The basic theory was that you open an account with everyone person you meet. Each interaction or "transaction" has an effect on that account. People make "deposits or "withdrawals" and the more you "invest" in the account the better the relationship becomes.

What is a "Deposit"?
It’s when you do or add something to the relationship. It can be as simply as calling the person to see how they're doing or helping them when they're in need of a hand. It was suggested at the time that we should always be making little deposits into the account, as it is an easy way to help the investment grow and you are less likely to forget the account exists.

What is a "Withdrawal"?
This is when you take something from the relationship. This is accomplished by asking for favours (which is not always a negative thing) or by saying or doing things that are not of benefit to the other person (lying/cheating/back-stabbing). Some withdrawals rise concerns as to the ability to maintain the account or cause the account to have a negative balance.

What is "Overdraft"?
It is a situation that arises when the withdrawals far exceed the deposits. This normally tells you that you have made a bad investment and should consider closing the account at your earliest convenience.

I have a number of very healthy accounts and a few that I think it is time for me to be closing.