By Paola Ardiles
Last week I was excited to be invited as a guest speaker at SFU’s Radius social entrepreneurs and innovators fellow program to talk about my experience around building relationships and networks. The 2015 cohort is full of bright, enthusiastic and determined Millennials. I was curious about how my views as a GenX on building relationships would differ from theirs, especially given that they have spent much of their lives somehow connected to technology.
As I started to reflect on how this work comes about in my daily life, I realized that relationships and partnerships are the most critical aspects of my work. In fact, I would argue that relationships are at the core of social innovation.
Have you ever found yourself trying to solve a complex social issue but been stuck on an idea until you actually engage in conversation with a friend or colleague? I often find that just by sharing my place of being stuck, the juices start to flow and by the end of the conversation I have had a breakthrough idea or created an action plan to move forward.
Through relationships you can build solid support for your ideas, no matter how big or small. The fellows asked me specifically about the ‘how’. How can we build relationships in a world where there is so much information out there and so many places to connect not just in person but also online?
(Michael Stone Photograph, with permission)
Relationships are cultivated over time and they definitely do not follow any certain path. My children and the new generation have taught me that building relationships can be very effective through social media and can also be based on reciprocity. I have also come to appreciate that building and sustaining relationships is the most important skill I can bring into my life. It is also like the concept of karma, relationships like opportunities don’t just happen to me, I can create them. I am not just referring to professional relationships. Personal ones can offer you the emotional support and space to be able to create in your work. Interestingly enough, many personal relationships of mine have turned to professional ones and vice versa.
For instance, I have been a close friend of Amy Robinson, Founder and Co-Executive Director of LOCO BC. We both share many common interests and values. Amy and I have cultivated a friendship for the last 5 years, practically since I moved to Vancouver, although it seems like we have been friends for a lifetime. Conversations with her have hugely impacted my thinking.
LOCO BC is a non-profit local business alliance working to strengthen communities, grow the local economy and build strong, sustainable businesses by encouraging a shift in local purchasing by consumers, businesses and institutions/government. Our work is predicated on the belief that economic sustainability, along with social and environmental sustainability forms the bedrock of healthy and resilient communities.
Amy has worked tirelessly over the last decade to create this network and thanks to her commitment and her partnerships, LOCO is thriving. I have been watching her development as a woman and as professional and she is truly an inspiration. So, two years ago when I first started Bridge for Health I decided to join LOCO BC.
The more I was immersed in the world of economics and environmental sustainability, the more I could start to see the opportunities between my work in public health and business. I started to imagine how it could be possible to bring these worlds together as I realized that our visions are very similar.
Today, I am building Bridge for Health as a social enterprise focused on social innovations in health and creating a framework for Healthy Businesses. I am so grateful to have had Amy’s support throughout these years, especially to help through those times of self-doubt and uncertainty.
Of course, I have been influenced my many other friends and colleagues who have exposed me to a wide range of ideas about sustainability, design-thinking, inequities or spirituality. All of those conversations have in fact shaped my views and I am deeply grateful to all who have contributed to my vision, in one way or another.
Relationships can blossom into lifelong friendships or partnerships to help you create the world you want to live into. Never under estimate the power of human connection. It is powerful beyond measure.
And, we must not forget that years of research have confirmed that (healthy) relationships are also very good for our health and wellbeing!
So, next time you are going to tweet, send an email, meet someone for lunch meeting or invite someone for a coffee, remember that relationships don’t just happen to you, they are you. Every word, gesture and smile can have a positive impact to make this a healthier, kinder, safer and more just world.
Paola Ardiles, Founder Bridge for Health