What happens when you remove the filter
Twenty-five years ago, Marty Betagole asked me to join her advisory board at @MikeAlbertLeasing. I expected to learn about family business dynamics and leasing models. I didn’t expect to find a lifelong confidant.
What started in a boardroom evolved into an enduring trust built on transparency, vulnerability, and a shared commitment to say the hard, necessary things.
Recently, we caught up over a ~6 mile walk on a trail near the Rookwood Pavilion in Cincinnati. In a world where most professional interactions are guarded, it was a rare reminder of what happens when you remove the filter. We talked about everything: family, faith, business, and politics.
Five things stood out during those six miles:
Be honest about problems. Organizations can’t fix what they pretend isn't broken. Real growth happens when leaders stop hiding challenges and speak the truth.
You don’t have to agree on everything. True respect doesn't require identical opinions. You can carry entirely different perspectives and still be tightly aligned if you both listen openly.
Ditch the agenda to get results. When you stop treating people like a transaction, you actually end up helping each other more. Because we just talked freely, I was able to naturally connect Marty with someone in my network who can help her with a current priority.
Good chemistry isn't an accident. We discovered our fathers were close friends decades ago. Meaningful connections often have deep, generational roots. Good people have a way of finding each other.
Drop the corporate mask. We took a photo at the end of the trail. The first attempt looked like two people wrapping up a stiff business meeting. We laughed, stood closer, and took a natural one. The first version wasn’t wrong—it just wasn’t the real story.
We finished our walk with a deep sense of mutual respect and gratitude. Just two people, fully present, investing in the relationship.
My challenge to you this week: Think of one person you haven’t had a real conversation with in too long. Not a text or a quick social media check-in… a real conversation.
Invite them for a walk.
Remove the agenda.
Be entirely present.
Go one level deeper than what is comfortable.
Just show up. You don’t need a perfect plan or a reason to reconnect with someone. The hardest and most important part is simply making the time to get together and start talking.
