Show Up For Your People

This morning I had the pleasure of leading a networking event for some great professionals who are looking for their next step. And the questions, predictably, were all about . . .  how to network. Everyone knows how critical this piece is, for job searching, for career growth, and for success in general. And everyone seems confused about how to make it happen. How do you find the people who are going to help you? How do you reach out and make that ask? How do you get people to say yes?

I am not a natural networker, not in the traditional sense. There are few things I hate as much as having to “work a room” and make small talk with people. I’m not good at it and I don’t enjoy it. And, I still have to do it. Almost every day in my job, in some way, I have to show up and talk to people, whether it’s in meetings or one-to-one.

Things changed for me when I started looking at networking as network-building, and when I looked at network-building as relationship-building. Every interaction I have with someone is an opportunity to get to know them better, to ask questions and learn, to build trust, and ultimately, to build a relationship. They don’t all become deep level relationships, of course. But they all have the potential to do that.

Recently we featured one of our alumni talking about the value of relationship-building as a young professional: “When it comes to finding your people, show up intentionally for others. To have a village, you must be a villager – invest in your community and watch it grow around you.” This quote has been rattling around my brain ever since. To have a village, you must be a villager. To have a community, you must invest in your community.

It’s a simple, but important, reminder. No matter what you’re working on or working towards, during this time of instability, chaos, and uncertainty, invest in your people. Pour into your community. Build those relationships. Show up for people so when you need them, they’ll show up for you.