Risky business

Even having been in a twenty year relationship, I find it difficult to articulate how relationships develop and deepen over time, particularly the steps in the early stages. Certainly it's difficult to remember events from that long ago. Six months into a new relationship I've given up trying to define the process. Though there may be constants it most certainly varies from person to person, from couple to couple.

The one thing that has become apparent is that it involves taking risks. Specifically taking the risk of saying what you're thinking and feeling. Though it’s healthy to be guarded in the beginning of a relationship, to reach deeper and deeper levels we need to be increasingly open. Risking (I suppose) that as we open up to one another there is greater possibility that we'll find an area of differing attitudes, an area in which we're not in concert.

In the world of business there's an understanding that it takes different capabilities, skills and processes to run a company as it grows in size. Company founders will have a much more difficult time growing a company from revenues of $1 million a year to $10 million, than would new leadership. In business this can be effectuated by bringing in new leaders with the necessary skills, background and capabilities to meet the new challenges. In a one-on-one relationship rather than replace the participants, it seems the preferred option is to continue to upgrade our own skills and abilities - recognizing that the tools that get us through the startup stage are not the same tools needed to continue to grow.