There have been a few things in the news lately that have caught my attention. Last week, I wrote about ways to support a client who’s grieving, thanks to lessons offered by a well-known U.S. executive. This week takes a more upbeat turn with a lesson drawn from the world of U.S. horse racing.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg recently marked the end of her first 30 days of mourning for her late husband. Dave Goldberg died unexpectedly while they were vacationing in Mexico. On the last day of sheloshim, which marks the completion of religious mourning for a spouse, she shared a compelling and beautifully-written post on … well, Facebook, of course.

When I wrote last week’s tip I re-read David Maister’s article, “Young Professionals: Cultivate the Habits of Friendship.” Anything but a missive for junior folk, it’s chock full of wisdom for professionals of any age and experience level.

Last week’s tip about the friendly computer-generated message got me thinking more about the role that friendship skills play in business, and particularly in sales.

If you’re anything like me, you’re guilty of taking business—and life—a little too seriously every once-in-a-while. (Actually, if you’re like me, you take things too seriously a lot.)

I’ve been meaning to write about a trust lesson I learned recently on an Amtrak trip. Last week’s tragic accident on the Northeast corridor compels me to write it sooner rather than later. Life is short, and it’s important to acknowledge people who make a difference in your life.

Last week’s tip about the power of a hand-written note reminded me of another great example of just how easy business development can be.

If you’re anything like me, you had a mom who insisted that you send a hand-written thank you note any time you received a gift. Oh how I dreaded sitting down to crank one of those out. It was, simply put, a chore.

I’ve been writing lately about recent insights from being on the buyer side of the sales process, including what I learned from Firm #1 about how not to begin a client call, and from Firm #2 about my own bad presentation habits.

As I mentioned last Tuesday, my co-author Charlie Green and I are learning a lot about the sales process from being on the buyer side right now.