Business and Personal Relationships

Recently I was approached by a young Chinese woman at a conference.  She said that she was often asked for a date by prospective business associates with whom her only interest was to build a business relationship.  She was confused as to what she should do.  As a working woman, I can certainly relate to this young woman's dilemma.

Building relationships is critical in having a successful career.  How does one draw a line when the process of our attempt to build a business relationship starts feeling comfortable?  My advice to the young woman was that, if the other person stops having a business relationship just because she didn't want to go out with him, then there wouldn't have been a real business relationship to begin with.  She always has the power to say "no."  True solid business relationship is long-term, and should not depend on whether someone agrees to a date.