Relationships are the stuff of success

We build 'social capital' when we trust each other enough to participate-in commerce, in civic life, in marriage-in relationships. Building trust takes time, to establish familiarity; time to establish predictability; time to establish reliability; time to explain our intentions.

Emphasising the 'need for speed' or rushing ahead with new policies, or changing course suddenly ("a week is a long time in politics") makes it that much harder to establish trust, and build social capital. In consultation, in policy-making, in decision-making, time is of the essence, but it is more time we need, not less. More time for the building of relationships, more time to trust.

Modern life robs us of much of the time we need. In neglecting our relationships with each other, we undermine our success in many areas of life, not just the personal. We do need to focus on relationships as the fundamental underpinning of our society, and not just within the hollow political context of 'family values'.

Relationships are the stuff of life. The network is the computer. Only connect.