From Zumba to Zoom Calls

Beyond Strategic Partnership: Becoming True Team Members

This morning, I found myself doing something I never expected would be part of my professional services toolkit...

...Zumba in the park with some of the leaders from one of our clients at Circle Leadership .

As I followed along with the energetic moves (some more successfully than others), I realized this moment perfectly encapsulated what truly sets exceptional business relationships apart from merely good ones.

In today's competitive business landscape, everyone claims to be a "strategic partner." But what does it mean to go beyond that?

It means showing up - not just for the boardroom meetings and strategy sessions, but for the moments that make up your client's company culture.

When you're truly part of a team, you don't just help solve their business challenges - you share their victories, their challenges, and yes, even their workout sessions.

This level of integration brings several powerful benefits:

Deeper Understanding

By participating in company activities, you gain insights that no amount of formal meetings could provide. You see how teams interact naturally, understand the informal communication channels, and get a feel for the real company culture. This morning's Zumba session taught me more about my client's team dynamics than a dozen PowerPoint presentations could have.

Authentic Relationships

When you step out of your formal role and join in activities - even if they're outside your comfort zone - you show vulnerability and humanity. This creates genuine connections that strengthen your working relationships. Trust is built in these informal moments, not just in conference rooms.

Cultural Integration

To truly serve your clients, you need to understand and embrace their culture. Participating in team activities demonstrates that you're not just there for the business dealings - you're there to be part of their community.

Better Solutions

When you're genuinely integrated with a team, you develop an intuitive understanding of their needs and challenges. This allows you to propose more nuanced, contextual solutions that align with their real-world operations and culture.

The key is authenticity.

This isn't about superficial networking or forced socialization.

It's about genuinely investing in becoming part of your client's world.

Sometimes that means joining a strategy session, and sometimes it means doing Zumba in the park at 6 AM in the Philippines!

Remember:

Anyone can be a service provider.

Many can be strategic partners.

But to be truly invaluable, you need to be willing to step out of your professional comfort zone and become a genuine team member.

Even if that means risking a few uncoordinated dance moves in public!

Your clients don't just need another vendor or consultant - they need teammates who are fully invested in their success, their culture, and yes, even their exercise routines.

So the next time your client invites you to an activity that seems outside your usual professional realm, say yes. You might be surprised at how much value can be created in these unexpected moments.

After all, some of the strongest business relationships are built not in boardrooms, or Zoom calls, but in parks, at company picnics, or during impromptu Zumba sessions.

And speaking from this morning's experience, I can tell you it's worth every slightly out-of-rhythm step.

Thank you to Eva Judge of Affordable Staff for inviting me to join in on the Zumba class this morning.

Tomorrow it will be the gym with David Judge where it will be all about bench presses not Business Plans.

I pinch myself sometimes as I think about our clients.

We have the best clients...

So much so, that it sounds silly to call them clients.

These aren't just business relationships or even family relationships - they're people who share our casa, our home.

What is our CASA?

casa | ˈkäsə |

noun

1. More than a workplace or business relationship; a professional home where authentic connections transcend traditional client-service provider boundaries.
2. A community of aligned individuals who share not just business goals, but life's moments, challenges, and celebrations - from strategy sessions to Zumba classes.
3. A sacred space where business relationships evolve into meaningful bonds characterized by: a) genuine investment in each other's holistic success b) natural integration into each other's daily rhythms c) shared experiences that extend beyond the boardroom d) mutual trust and vulnerability

Origin: From Spanish/Latin "casa" meaning "house" or "home," evolved to represent a modern business philosophy where professional relationships are elevated to familial-level connections.

It's good to feel at home

In many cultures, once someone enters your home, they become part of your household - there's a sacred quality to that connection.

These aren't just clients you serve, they're people we've welcomed into your business casa, and in turn, they've welcomed us into theirs.

When you join their Zumba class or spot them lifting weights at the gym, we're essentially breaking bread together, sharing in the daily rhythms of life that make a house a home.

I never take that for granted.

Dave Clare, CEO & Founder of Circle Leadership

www.circleleadershipglobal.com

It's time to lead different.

Together we can...

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