The Joy of Connecting

A few years ago, I made it a goal to meet several “Super Connectors” in the Twin Cities. When I sent a half hour meeting invitation to one, surprisingly, he declined it. He then responded with a full hour meeting invitation instead. I wondered “What would we talk about for a full hour?” After our Zoom meeting, however, I felt very much in relationship with this individual. We had enough time to learn about each other - our families, work, and points of view - and I felt like I made a friend.

Over the last year, my thinking about networking has continued to transform. I recognize it as a privilege versus a transaction. It has been an honor to recognize where people are on their life and career journeys, to validate their successes, and to grieve their losses with them. It has been a joy to learn how they are growing, to help them where I could, and to share my own story and career ambitions.

Last week I reconnected with a marketing leader that I had worked with while she was in transition. Successful in her transition, she made several friends while networking during her job search – friendships that are likely to continue throughout the duration of her career. I found my energy grew as I talked with her – and I became aware once again that we are social beings that need each other.

For some time, networking has been transactional versus relational – an abbreviated, scripted approach with the goal of securing a contact of value or learning about an opportunity. This transactional approach to networking was exacerbated by the pandemic and the need for shorter meetings on a virtual platform. Likewise, it may be harder for some to feel “connected” to colleagues in a hybrid work environment.

I invite you to explore this journey of connecting and reconnecting with your network, to see every interaction as a privilege, to experience the joy of being in relationship, and to recognize that we need each other to thrive.

Copyright (c) 2024 Original creation unaided by AI. Used with permission.