Each week, I make an effort to read the Sunday New York Times' Corner Office interview.  Last Sunday the interview was with Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Chegg.  The title was compelling: "Always Thank Your Your Star Players."  That's great advice.  Everyone likes recognition for their efforts.

The most interesting piece of the interview, in my opinion, is the way Rosensweig begins executive staff meetings.  He notes that everyone is very wired these days - technology is portable so it's particularly hard to tear ourselves away from email, text messages and other distractions. 

In an effort to be "be present," he asks each executive at the meeting to share two things on their minds, one personal and one professional.  That eases the transition into the meeting, and helps with focus.

Most importantly, in my opinion, is that it puts the relationship before the task - which is a key component to a strong relationships in business.