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!