BAD NEWS- My credit card and I were parted for a number of days-not of my doing. The thieves didn’t buy much. Luckily, they didn’t have my PIN number and I reported the card as stolen once I discovered it missing.
SURPRISINGLY GOOD NEWS- There are good Samaritans out there. Meet Aysha Thomas, a personal banker at Chase Bank in Allen.
Aysha called me a few weeks after the card went missing. She said that some boys had found my card in the bank’s parking lot and took the time to bring it to the bank. She then did an Internet search and found my information. Two days after her call my credit card arrived in the mail with a nice note and her business card.
In the Passport to Success book I co-authored with Peggy Collins called Network Smart: Connect with Purpose for Knowledge, Help & Opportunity, we say:
“No other business skill is as valuable or provides a more lasting legacy than networking to help you reach your goals. Every interaction with a new person can be a golden opportunity for a new networking connection.”
Like Aysha, great networkers are people connectors who are:
Outgoing but vitally interested in others.
Excellent communicators but also keen listeners.
Positive about themselves and others.
Open to possibilities and adventure.
Highly resourceful and proactive.
Any information to achieve a goal can be obtained through networking. You may be seeking financial advice or funding for a project. You may be looking for a job or help with a career direction. You may be seeking an excellent vendor, a resource, an expert or business advice.
People can avoid connecting to others and “get in their own way” for several reasons. They may:
Feel shy or unworthy.
Not want to disturb other people.
Feel they are begging.
Want to avoid revealing vulnerability.
Not know what to say.
Fear they might be rejected.
Want to avoid others’ negative opinions.
Not want to ask for help.
Worry there is no time to return favors.
Not want to be indebted to others.
Don’t forget about connecting with the people who work with you. Networking within your own organization offers several benefits. It allows you to market yourself everyday through visibility and become known as a resource. It will also help you stay current with what’s going on and may even help you create job security during downsizings.
ABC means “Always Be Connecting.” You never know who may be the one to help you with your next goal. You might want to identify present and past:
Vendors, suppliers and service providers.
Business partners and co-workers.
Alumni, friends and family.
Clients and prospects.
People who know others.
Volunteers, board members.
AND people who lose their credit cards.
Did I end up opening a new banking account with Aysha? No. Right now I’m happy with our banking services. However, I did send her a thank you gift and told my friends about her…including you!
Journey On!