The Beauty in Networking and Relationship Building

"Networking is not about collecting contacts! Networking is about planting relations" -Michael Rajiv Shah

I have made it to my final post for this term, though I hope to continue blogging in the future! We have explored various topics of leadership and media strategies this term. I, now, have just one more class to finish to complete my Master's in Strategic Communication and plan to graduate in March 2019. Hopefully, you have been able to take something useful away from at least one of my posts over the course of the last few weeks.

I want to leave you with something that will be useful to you no matter where you are in your career as a leader, and that is the importance of networking. When I was in my undergrad, I didn't really think much about networking and did not feel as though it was emphasized enough. Any time that you are in a room full of people, an event, or job fair, you have an opportunity to network and meet new people whom you have never met before. You have an opportunity to make real connections with people and leave lasting impressions for them to remember you by.

Networking is just as much about giving as it is receiving. Probably, one of the most neglected things about networking is the follow up after the initial introduction. If you are coming back from an event with an handful of business cards that you do not intend on following up with then you are not doing it right. Reach out to your new contacts and see about setting up a one-on-one so that you can get to know each other better and learn about their business, what they do, and how you can help. Perhaps, invite them out for lunch. As a chamber ambassador with my local area chamber of commerce, I like to invite new contacts as guests to our monthly meetings or gatherings. Being a part of your local chamber in any sense is a great way to get to know those in the community.

Having that constant presence in the local community and building upon these connections and relationships helps a lot. If someone knows someone looking to go back to college, I hope that he/she will send that person my way for assistance. Likewise, if I know someone in need of a good realtor or architect, I know exactly who I can refer them to. Pictured above you will find me (on the left) and some of my fellow ambassadors meeting for lunch for the first time since Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle. I have had the pleasure of knowing several of them for a few years now and would even go as far as to call them my friends. It really is a beautiful thing to be a part of this group full of amazing leaders, to learn from them, and grow with them.

Now, get out there and show me how you network. Be intentional in your efforts to meet people and to talk about you or your business, and do it as often as possible. You never know who you will meet until you try!

I would like to say thank you to all those who have supported me along the way. If you have read my blog, liked my blog, shared my blog, or even left comments on my blog. Or, if you have given me any words of encouragement. THANK YOU! This is not goodbye, but see you later!

The Power of Social Media in the Midst of Hurricane Michael

On October 10, 2018, the Florida Panhandle was hit by a force like nothing it had ever experienced before. Homes and businesses destroyed, trees and power lines down everywhere you look. It is nearing two months in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and the community is doing everything it can to hold on to any sense of normalcy. But, I must admit that it is still pretty gloomy around here, but I try not to dwell too much on it and focus on the progress that is being made. Lineman, both local and from afar, worked diligently to return power back to the community. After about 4-6 weeks, power was fully restored with some occasional brief outages. The response after the storm has been more than I had ever anticipated. Before, during, and after the storm, the local government did a great job in keeping the community informed through text alerts and through social media (specifically, on Facebook). With all the power lines down, many people were left with out a way to call for emergency services during the storm or contact their loved ones once it passed to let them know they were safe. Calling or texting was out of the question, so when all forms of communication are out the window what does that leave us with?
 
That's right, social media. Those of us lucky enough to still have cellular data were able to make our needs and status known through Facebook. One local family almost didn't make it after having to seek refuge in their vehicle following the loss of their roof. Chelsea Cottle, along with her fiance and baby daughter Rain, were in desperate need of shelter from this merciless storm. With no other options, Chelsea took her pleas for help to Facebook along with her address and the hope that someone would see it and come rescue her small family. The initial post was shared upwards of 1,000 times making its way across the U.S. before eventually getting back to a local officer here in Bay County. Upon seeing Chelsea's plea, the officer and his partner immediately took action to rescue them. It seems that Chelsea took a hopeful chance on the viral nature of social media and won. Al Roker, from the TODAY Show, highlights this story here.

In the aftermath of the storm, social media has become a primary source of information and communication for both individuals and organizations alike. Thousands were informally reported missing to the local authorities and the Red Cross, according to the Tampa Bay Times, due to lack of communication just two days after the storm hit. However, Bay County, Florida Emergency Services were quick share updates such as the one below to keep families informed as best they could. In a prior post, I touch upon my own experiences in the storm and how I was one of few who were able to stay connected during and after the storm.

Businesses and organizations also used social media to provide residents with information about openings and available services, FEMA locations, shelter locations, food/supply locations, and health clinics. The City of Panama City and the local chambers of commerce continue to post daily updates and information about local events during this state of crisis. The whole experience has brought me to the realization that many of us, if not all, would have been lost without these updates from social media. Social media is how I stayed connected to my family, friends, colleagues, my son's pediatrician, and his school. It is how we know that progress is being made. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. 

In times of crisis of this magnitude, it is important for our federal and local government leaders and organizations to keep residents informed of what's going on in our communities. I am beyond proud of how our local leaders have stepped up to plate. The Florida Panhandle was not prepared to face Hurricane Michael, and could not have predicted the shift in trajectory, but they were prepared to support their communities to the best of their means. There is a long road of recovery ahead but we will rebuild and come back stronger than ever as long as we continue to stay connected.