Another good friend from work just announced she was leaving for a new job. When you work in a large company, change is inevitable. The more people in your company, the higher the odds are that your work friends will move into other positions inside or outside the company. But it’s still a shock to my system. One day you are saying good morning, the next day you are staring at an empty cubicle. I shouldn’t let it affect me but it does. It’s just business, right?
Those of you who spend long hours at work know what I’m talking about. The colleagues you see every day; go through battles with and enjoy laughing with; become a family of sorts… not more important than your spouse and kids, but a family nonetheless.
There are the going away parties, reunions and occasional long lunches, but it’s not easy to stay in touch. That’s one of the reasons Facebook and LinkedIn have become valuable to me. They are slowly but surely restoring whole communities of work friends that I met throughout my career. Not to mention all my childhood and school friends.
You could argue that it’s not as “real” as seeing people face to face, and you’re right. But it sure beats the heck out of wondering what happened to all those ghosts of careers past. It used to take just one email or phone number switch and they were gone forever. Now you can search with a high probability of finding.
I’m a social animal, and these connections are important to me. One of the greatest bosses I ever had is playing music again on stage. One of my best cube dweller friends from start-up days is having her second baby. One of the funniest and most talented guys I know is an insightful artist and blogger.
Many people will come and go in your life. Some are temporary and some will be lifelong connections, but you learn from each and every one. What a joy to see these ghosts coming to life again! What a joy to see you again.
I love this David. A friend of mine at work just commented on how she has cultivated a “garden” of friends throughout the years of different jobs. Some of them she plants close to her and others she keeps in the back of her garden and others she “weeds” out.
Awww, David, I couldn’t agree more. I felt super sad when I left Webex to head over to headquarters. Even tho’ everyone there is only 2 miles away, who can find the time to go see them? FB is a great tool, and I stay so connected to so many people too. I’ve always been fairly good at staying networked to former coworkers, former classmates, old friends, but FB makes it that much easier. And yes, I know who you are referring too, but we have to be happy for her! 🙂 Thanks for the great blogs! Keep ’em coming!
Wow, I did not know I was an insightful blogger and artist. You are talking about me, right?
And guess what…Peri and I are working together again at Periscope. We reconnected thru Facebook.
Really insightful David…. and as always so well said. 🙂
The people I work with on a daily basis have a huge affect on my day. The smile in the kitchen, the holding of the elevator, an afternoon laugh, a lunch date, a joke over IM… these things make it much more fun to come into work every day. Thanks you guys!
Hope all’s well Mr. Goad. I know this is outdated but still, glad to see you’re still keeping up =)