The Power in Making Connections for Others
Networking. Community. Connection.
They’re concepts we understand as professionals. Without a supportive group around us we are alone in our work; putting the ‘solo’ into solopreneur! While it’s true that we are the most important people in our business, we cannot function without others. Having a community around us means we have people who understand what we’re going through (most of the time).
Often we often focus on ourselves and what our network and community can do for us. What might happen if we looked at what we could give?
How can we help our communities and our networks?
By making connections!
Why? Because putting two people together who might not otherwise have spoken instantly opens a door that was not just closed, it wasn’t even seen. You’re creating a space into two other networks and helping these people find their future communities.
Plus (and it’s a big plus!) you’re helping someone solve a problem that you cannot directly solve yourself. Someone’s looking for a skill that you just don’t have (or maybe you do but you don’t want to use it!) and you know just the person to fill that gap…
But what about you? What does this act of making connections do for you?
Quite a lot as you might have guessed.
Firstly it puts you front and centre with two people who might have (and I say this in the nicest possible way) forgotten about you. The world is big and it moves very quickly; time passes in the blink of an eye. If you can do something to get back in the room with people you know, making connections is a great way to do so. It’s a real profile-raising exercise for you, too.
Becoming known as ‘a person who makes great connections’ can be intensely powerful because your name starts to crop up even when you’re not around. People will start to refer you to others and the cycle of opportunity will grow and grow.
Thinking about solving someone else's problem with a connection: it allows you to double-down on what you want to do with your time. Maybe you don’t have time to take on just one more job or you just don’t want to. Being able to make a connection to someone else gives you the freedom to keep doing your thing.
Brass tacks time: Why should you make connections between others?
Work is not a competition. You don’t have to keep saying yes to every last thing until you burn out or break down. There is enough to go around. You can make a connection, keep your community going, and not do yourself out of any work.
There’s no monopoly on conversations. We’re not living in an age of the ‘secret contact rolodex’ and ‘getting to people first’ … What good is keeping people from one another? Don’t hog the talking stick!
Making connections shows that you’ve been listening to the people you’ve spoken to. You understand them as individuals, as professionals; you have some kind of rapport or relationship with them, enough to say ‘I trust you enough to refer you to someone else’. That understanding goes the other way, too; you’ve heard a challenge and want to help someone solve it.
It creates an environment of generosity because you are actively engaging others in giving something away; in problem solving. Showing this willingness to put others first and consider their needs will come back around to you, too. People remember and will - I would bet - want to help you out when you need it most. And after all, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered someone who has said ‘Well, I didn’t WANT you to make that connection’.
This act of connection creates a pretty powerful example to follow. Getting stuck in to making connections shows others that it can be done without lots of hassle and effort. It just takes a little thoughtfulness and consideration.
Three steps to making an amazing connection
Get to know your connections. Having conversations with people, paying attention, and listening for ways in which they might need help (not just the things they share explicitly) gives you a solid foundation. Ask them who they’re looking to speak to and if you can help.
Find a great connection. Who do you know that might be able to help, or could inspire some thinking with a great conversation? Plumb the depths of your rolodex or LinkedIn connections and be ready to make that connection.
Join the dots. Create a group message or email and bring both people into the conversation. Introduce them to one another, share a little about what you know and why you’re connecting them, then hand over the conversation and leave them to make the next move.
Now you know; making connections between others is a tremendously powerful thing. Creating an environment of giving, listening, and support builds the foundation of amazing communities now, tomorrow, and in the future.
If you’re looking for a community of people who get what it means to connect with others and put people at the centre of their business, The Good Business Club is here for you. With monthly networking events, member-exclusive spaces, and an active community team to help you get the most out of your experience your next great conversation is just around the corner.