Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

What Value Relationships?

  • By Deborah P. Moore
  • 08/01/15

How do we measure value? Is it strictly based on dollars spent? Do we ever take into account the not-so-obvious things that we gain?

I had a thought-provoking conversation this past week with someone from a community college who asked these questions and brought up some very interesting points that I had never thought much about. The gist of the conversation was that the strict rules we have in place when it comes to purchasing don’t always look at the big picture and are oftentimes in direct opposition to the directives given by the leadership regarding community engagement and the formation of partnerships — a different kind of capital.

The conversation we had was not about spending more, nor was it about life-cycle costing. It was about valuing the often hidden gains that come from developing partnerships and supporting the local community and businesses — the people that come to your sporting events, take classes on your campus, pay local taxes and donate money to sponsor your events. His point was that too many of us have let the idea of saving 10 cents on a single transaction trump the benefits that can be gained from developing meaningful relationships.

Transaction vs. Relationship. I am not so fond of the “What can you do for me this time?” mentality many of us have developed in recent years. Transactions are singularly focused — price on the consumer side, making the sale on the business side. The idea is that consumers win… or do they? Relationships are more my style — focusing on longer-term needs, understanding my goals and helping me solve the problems that are sure to arise. It is not an “I win” mentality, it’s a “we win!”

While a transaction mentality may save me 10 cents on a purchase, a relationship/partnership that has been nurtured and developed over years is priceless.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Quattrocchi Kwok Architects Opens New Office in Denver

    Education planning and design firm Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) recently announced that it has opened a new office in Denver, Colo., the firm’s third overall. QKA is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and runs an East Bay Area office in Oakland.