Networking magic

“Networking” for me … is NOT about gathering new LinkedIn connections or Facebook friends. It’s about people connecting with friends and building relationships with “friends of friends”.

Last night, I caught up with some friends (old and new), which was totally energising. So what made the evening so good?

Without expectation, I showed up at a local pub and was happy just to be present, whilst chatting to others. The “magic” came from the conversations

- Hearing how everyone is doing, what’s happening in their lives (the little wins and the sticky challenges). Offering help / getting offers of support.

- Getting to know everyone a little better, it really does take an age to build strong relationships and trust and is why connecting with people has to be a way of being, part of my regular activities.

- Sharing / debating shared interests and making plans together for the future (Samr Calcutawala please remember that you have agreed to do an open water swim in July!).

- The added bonus when a friend unexpectedly dropped by, because he knew that a gathering was happening. There’s nothing better than turning around and seeing a friendly wave from the other end of the room!

- The real magic last night was that 2 of my good friends, who have never previously met, had a great chat and agreed to meet again to explore possible collaborations.