Building and maintaining relationships takes work. But sabotaging a relationship is pretty easy. One of the most important parts of keeping a relationship healthy, especially in organizing and politics, is being true to your word.
We've all been there. You shake hands and exchange pleasantries, then say "I'll be in touch Monday." A few weeks later, you're sitting on your couch watching reruns of The OC (don't judge me) and "BAM!" you realize you never followed up with your contact.
Don't put yourself in that situation. If you say you're going to do something, do it. Carry a pocket calendar if you're forgetful. If you've overcommitted yourself, chalk it up as a learning experience, but still follow through. Relationships are all about trust. It's exceedingly difficult to earn a person's trust, but terribly easy to lose it. Always be conscious of that fact.
Have a good system for ensuring that your promised followup actually happens? Share in the comments on our blog!
Dane Varese is Outreach Coordinator for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
Photo by Chris-Havard Berge, via Flickr.
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