Curve Benders

This week I spoke with my friend and colleague David Nour. David is an internationally recognized leading expert on strategic business relationships. We have a passion for cultivating winning relationships at work. He is the author of 10 books including his newest book, “Curve Benders: How Strategic Relationships Can Power Your Non-linear Growth in the Future of Work”. Together we will leave you with tips and tricks to elevate your success.

From Outer Space to Improving the Workplace

After seeing a rocket launch as a young boy David was determined to go to space himself. He was on track for the air force until learning he needed eyeglasses. After that life began to open and close doors for him leading him through his career. He moved on to begin a career in technology, working in sales and for IBM. He continued on to graduate school, explored consulting, worked with a startup, and then moved to private equity. The last and current phase of his career has been branching out on his own to work in coaching, consulting, educating, and speaking. Throughout his career David has learned that the best teams use their relationships to bring their ideas to new heights.

What creates success?

Good relationships! Time and time again, we have both seen the quality of a company’s internal and external relationships influence their success.

Who are the Curve Benders?

These are people who teach and inspire you to become better in your position. It could be a manager, mentor, friend, coach, or boss. Their influence will go with you throughout your life. You might not even notice at first, but these people really do shape the leaders that we become. By encouraging and teaching us these critical relationships help you increase your rate of personal growth.

Outside Forces

In Curve Benders, David offers 15 Forces that impact society on a large scale. These are things that individuals can become aware of in order to boost their business skills and global awareness. The ripple effect of large events can have an impact on you personally and professionally. Examples of these include advancing technology and geopolitical strife. David provides self assessment tools in his book in order for you to evaluate your awareness of these outside forces.

Technology, a Transitionary Force

Forces such as technology have impacted all areas of our lives. It cuts across our personal and professional lives. It’s relevant to individuals, organizations, and cities. Technology is powerful, in that it allows us to do our work more dynamically. Understanding technology can give you a leg up in the modern world. Those who cooperate with technology will be successful as the world around us changes.

The Pandemic as an Outside Force

The global pandemic has shown us how interconnected our lives really are. Now we are turning our sights towards recovering from this experience. David fears that this transition will continue to separate the “haves” and the “have nots”. And that this continued division will be a really difficult situation to recover from for many individuals, families, and communities.

Grit Generates Great Things

Being successful isn’t about having the shiniest tools, it’s about getting the job done. In today’s work environment creativity goes a long way. Get creative, get resourceful, get scrappy, find a way to overcome and persevere. This grit will take you to the end zone. Grit identifies those who are tapped into doing greater things from those that are just coasting by.

Personal Curve Bending

Jobs have a shelf life of 3-5 years. In order to maximize your ability to feel fresh as things start to get stale, you need to ask yourself some questions. How do you plan to enter the upcoming challenge or opportunity? What does success while you’re in it look like? How will you leave it? What skills can I leverage to create change? By combining skills you have already acquired in life you can accelerate your personal reinvention and remain relevant. All this will create a shift in the trajectory of your career.