Could your relationship contribute to your professional success?

The expression “growgether” comes from the contraction of the words “grow” and “together.”

It refers to couples in which the partners are actively involved in each other’s personal and professional development.

In this type of relationship, the emphasis is on sustainable development and mutual fulfillment rather than simply being in a relationship.

In other words, “growgether” couples seek to boost each other’s driving force so as to be able to meet any challenge (family, professional, sexual, etc.) that comes their way.

In fact, if the couple is to last, it must ensure that each partner can flourish as an individual. Things can go wrong at home when one of the two halves is denied a promotion or has difficulty climbing the corporate ladder.

Conversely, the couple can be put to the test when one of the individuals is propelled to the top and abandons their partner in favour of climbing the career ladder.

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Succeeding side by side

To avoid these pitfalls, followers of the “growgether” technique encourage and support each other in their efforts to achieve professional success.

They engage in activities that can help them stand out in the job market, such as learning new skills and taking up a sport or hobby. They also set common goals and work together to achieve them.

According to Emma Hathron, an expert for the dating site Seeking.com, which conceptualised the idea of “growgether” couples, this approach relies on open communication, mutual support, and a willingness to learn and adapt together.

This helps foster a relationship where both partners can grow and evolve side by side, she says.

This type of relationship has significant advantages for both partners, who feel that they are not forsaking their careers for their personal lives. In this sense, the “growgether” phenomenon echoes “power couples,” those professional and romantic pairings that take a determined step towards success, hand in hand. But the emphasis is more on personal fulfilment than on success at any cost.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, came to a similar conclusion, following research published in 2016 in the journal Psychological Science, suggesting that a couple’s relationship can play a decisive role in career development.

Brittany Solomon and Joshua Jackson found that working people whose spouses have a conscientious nature feel better about their professional lives.

They even earn $4,000 more a year than their colleagues, half of whom have other personality traits.

The academics explain this phenomenon by saying that “more conscientious partners perform more household tasks, exhibit more pragmatic behaviours that their spouses are likely to emulate, and promote a more satisfying home life, enabling their spouses to focus more on work.” This could enable their partner to shine in the professional world. Proof that relationships have the potential to make or break careers.

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