The most valuable people in my network aren't necessarily the ones who agree with me.

The most valuable people in my network aren't necessarily the ones who agree with me.

Kristi Faltorusso posted about our friendship earlier this week - a relationship that started when she didn't hire me. (Yes, really. Read her post. 😉)

Her post made me pause and ask myself, what has made me value this friendship? What makes me continue to make the effort, connect, make time?

What I value most about our relationship is that we do not agree on everything.

We approach problems differently. We see the world through different lenses. And when we sit down together, like we did at Chief last week, I know I'm going to leave with my thinking either sharpened or completely flipped.

That's rare. And I don't take it for granted.

It's easy to default to building networks full of people who get me, agree with me, and cheer me on. But the people who actually move the needle are the ones who ask, "but have you thought about it this way?"

Kristi has never once just told me what I wanted to hear. Eight years in, she still pokes holes in my ideas. I do the same for her.

Who in your life has made you better specifically because you don't see eye to eye?