Just finished Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. I picked it up because I struggle whenever I'm at 'networking' type events. I'm not exactly shy, although that's part of the struggle, but I do have a tough time engaging in conversations.
The author takes his "connecting" activities to an extreme; although he warns against becoming someone who is driven to do nothing but expand his Rolodex he seems to come pretty darn close to the line. However, there were two good takeaways for me to work on:
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Focus on helping others: Finding how you can help is easier than worrying about how others can help you. If you're helpful to others, you will get help when you need it.
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Develop a 'Network Action Plan' for every major project you are involved in. That is, look for ways to get people in your network engaged and involved in your projects. Engaging your network is an important part of successful projects, and your Network Action Plan is a key piece of your Project Plan.
I really want to improve in how I recruit people to join in my community projects. Heck, recruiting one person would be an improvement. I'm going to try looking for how I can help others through the community association to see if that helps get some reciprocation down the road.
A Question: How do you recruit people to help on projects you think are important?