POSTSCRIPT

We began this chapter with the story of a deeply personal workplace relationship. Despite differences in backgrounds, personal life challenges, and changes in organizational power and status, Vivian Derr and Silvia Amaro have remained best friends in and out of the workplace for more than a quarter century.

Consider your own work life for a moment. Do you have a coworker on whom you could count to help you get through a painful divorce or surmount the challenge of new parenthood? Is there someone you get along with so well that you would recruit him or her to serve as your own supervisor?

Vivian and Silvia’s friendship illustrates the primacy of interpersonal relationships in our lives. In a culture in which many of us define our worth largely through our professional accomplishments—promotions, paychecks, and portfolios—by far the most meaningful accomplishment of all is forging interpersonal relationships that thrive and endure.