I've been retired now for 5 months. They say you miss the "animals, not the zoo" meaning you "miss the people, not the work". I've heard this a lot from people telling me this is how I would look at things once I retired. But what is it about the people, exactly, that I will miss? Of course, at a high level, I can say it's the relationships. But what is it that made these relationships special?

I've been blessed to work with an incredible amount of people from all over the world in my 35-year career. The last 5 months have given me the time to think deeper about what it was about all those people that made it such a great experience. It helped me understand why exactly I miss the relationships.

Below is my list about what I admire the most about the people I worked with. By extension, it also made me question if I living my life by these ideals? Was I up to par when it mattered to other people in my life? Did I show up the way I wanted to in my life? Am I today?

Here goes....

1. They look me in the eye. Sometimes it is when they are talking to me. Sometimes it's when they are listening to me. But there is something about direct eye to eye contact that creates a connection. When this eye contact is missing, I notice it. It seems people are going through the motions when people don't look you in the eye. I love it when people look me in the eye when we're talking about something.
2. They are hard working. Something about their commitment to the company, the job, the task, the team, or the problem in the moment tells me they have a work ethic in their life. And I admire that. It inspires me, it tells me each time I see it and feel it that I can the same in my life. It motivates me. It gives me energy. Their energy rubs off on me and I'm a better person for it. It's contagious. They are a "quick study" and work hard to learn things fast and start creating value.
3. They care about me. They care about others. They take the time to make room for people in their lives. They notice the little things. The notice the days when I'm struggling. They ask me how I am doing. They ask my opinion about issues. They care what I think. When they see me troubled with something, they take note and come to me. They watched out for me and helped where they could without expecting anything in return. They serve others however they may need to show up on a given day.
4. They have standards. They are consistent and come prepared when work needs to be done. They seek excellence in getting the job done. They are committed to doing what is right in the moment, even if it's not in their job description. They have a moral aspiration to be positive and constructive. They want to be efficient and effective, but they don't cut corners. They invest in themselves to better their ability to serve others.
5. They don't wear masks. They share who they are. They come into the day as a human being, with all the strengths and frailties that make us so. They accept who they are and are content. They accept others for who they are. They are the same person in the boardroom as they are in the cafeteria, parking lot, or walking down the hall. They don't "put on airs".
6. They are generous. They give without expecting anything in return. Where they can help, they do so freely. They have empathy, energy, ideas, suggestions, and a reservoir of something "extra" that they give freely throughout the day. They are often sought out for advice, and they give it freely.
7. They have integrity. They seek to be consistent even if that means they were wrong about something. They are intellectually congruent in their words and actions. They present the complete truth knowing that truth will win out in the end, even if it causes short term pain or discomfort. They align their lives with long term good and seek to live up to this ideal on a daily basis.
8. They treat people with respect. They honor time with people. All people. They are present in all conversations. They treat conversations with people like there is nothing in the world more important than where they are at the moment. They tell the truth even when the truth isn't what people want to hear. They listen a lot more than they talk. When they talk, they speak clearly and fairly to all people. They have emotional maturity in life's messy grind.
9. They are "can do" people. They are positive. They accept the realities of situations that are not working out well, but they don't stop there. They aim to move people, the organization, and themselves forward. They generate options. They collaborate. They initiate things. They network to find ways to work things out. They are assertive, but not pushy. They move me and others to action by their "can do" attitude.
10. They have love in their life. They love their job. They love a hobby. They love their spouse and family. They love their country. Sometimes they love their pet. Despite having difficulties and problems, sometimes major, they don't let this color the rest of their life. They hold out for love. They don't shy away from acknowledging the power of love in their life. They use their love to pour into people's lives. It's the one all-powerful lifeforce thing that grounds their world view - their capacity to love.

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A special thank you to those of you who have posted comments to share your experience and advice. I'm grateful as these interactions inspire me, and I'm certain it has helped others in their journey.