Why Face-to-Face Meetings are Crucial

We have just completed our Cornerstone global meeting in Prague. Approximately 75 members and spouses of our international recruiting network came together in this beautiful city to learn, share, and, most of all, rekindle old relationships and build new ones.  The energy has been magical.  Anyone participating quickly recognized what had been missing.  Unfortunately, COVID changed how many organizations got together.  We learned to use Teams, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and other virtual meeting tools, which effectively convey information and share thoughts and ideas.  However, there is a quantum leap in value with face-to-face meetings sharing personal information, stories, and experiences, which is essential in building long-term relationships.  

In the service industry, there are two approaches to business. The first, and certainly the fastest, is providing a specific service and being fairly compensated for it. This transactional approach provides value to both parties, but often, the impact does not go beyond that transaction.  

We believe in a different approach. We don’t just provide a service and move on; we strive to build lasting relationships with our associates and clients.  This approach is not about quick transactions but understanding their organizations and challenges so deeply that we become trusted partners. This trust is not built overnight, but over time, it becomes the foundation of our business, ensuring long-term value for both parties.  

These relationships, which are the essence of our business, cannot be fully nurtured through virtual meetings. They require the investment of time and physical presence. Reflecting on this week’s Cornerstone meeting, I was once again reminded of this truth. The insights and connections we gained were not profound because of their novelty but their depth and richness, a direct result of our shared physical presence. This is a testament to the irreplaceable value of face-to-face interactions in building strong, lasting relationships, a value that we are committed to delivering to our clients. 

We are a group of entrepreneurially owned organizations with similar purposes and philosophies. We serve our clients worldwide with an unsurpassed level of service, and we support each other so that although we are local, we think and act globally.  

These photos reflect us learning together to help our clients with their talent challenges and our joy of building strong personal relationships. By choice, we are not a single organization, but we act as one when we help clients around the globe. Face-to-face meetings are the foundation that enables us to deliver on the most challenging talent needs wherever they are. We would love to share our expertise if you face such a challenge.