From the very first day I met Peter Nduati (29th July 2024 in case you were wondering) I realised that relationships are very dear to him. He comes alive to relationships that are good and those that need him to become better. Our first meeting was initially meant to last 15 minutes but ended up being 3 hours. The talk, mostly about ourselves and the people who matter, people whose stories have shaped us.
At the end of all the bustle and hustle of life what matters are the relationships you’ve cultivated and their importance. Most old people when asked about what they could have done better or what they regret most, they mostly mention something about a family member, a friend or a relationship that they could have been more intentional about.
One of the elements in the Peter Nduati Group’s logo symbolizes the aspect of relationships to one life.
What is life then without the people we love and care for? Human beings are social beings, they want to be loved, wanted and they need to belong. All that is not possible without others.
I remember one Monday morning when we met with a particular bank to discuss a facility that the chairman wanted, the first thing I noticed was the camaraderie between him and the bankers. He was laid back and you could easily tell that the air was not choking despite the fact that the conversations were money-some and sometimes those negotiations are a different ball game on their own.
Heading back to the car, I asked him to tell me more about the people we’d just met. He told me they’d become friends over the years after working together.
‘Why was it important to develop a relationship with them?’ I asked.
His answer, “In business , that’s what we call ‘stakeholder management’ ”
Stakeholder Management
For the purposes of this article I will refer to the official or business relationships as stakeholder management. Stakeholder management is defined as the process by which you organize, monitor, and improve your relationships with your stakeholders.
Remember that one popular quote that people do business with whom they like. These people will influence your business in one one way or the other. Think of your bank, suppliers, clients, employees or anybody that makes up any part of the ecosystem that’s your business and has something to gain or lose.
These are the people who have to like you.
Business deals as I have come to know are not made in the boardroom; they are just finalized there. That is why people invest their time in meeting those relevant to their business, they take them to lunch, breakfast, golfing or whatever non-business activity they like.
So what happens when they don’t like you for whatever reason? When you’ve given your all, and there’s just no, click …
To be continued.
– Mutathi Wachira