Happy International Friendship Day

by Paul Lambert

For International friendship Day (July 30), we want to take a moment to recognize the clients who have become our friends and to thank them for their friendship and confidence in us. Together we’ve overcome obstacles, built connections that enrich each other’s lives, and have had a great time along the way.

Consulting is a challenging business. I always tell recruits interested in a career in consulting that: “nobody hires a consultant when things are going well.” Often clients are under pressure to get things done in complex and resource constrained situations. Being successful at consulting over the long-term means finding ways to make it sustainable and personally rewarding.  One of the things I’ve learned over my career is that working with people that you like and feel connected to is a gift. It is a great way to make challenging work meaningful, rewarding, and sustainable over the long term. It was a deliberate choice we made when we started Forum Solutions to build a local consultancy that is rooted in our community which enables us to build long-term relationships and to help clients beyond business relationships.

We believe that it is precisely the challenges we face together that brings us closer. There is nothing more satisfying than helping a friend through a complex challenge. It creates meaning, builds resilience, and delivers the professional growth that we appreciate. It’s not always easy, but it is always worth it.

On International Friendship Day, we honor those friendships we have built in our communities and at our clients!  Happy International Friendship Day!