Network University

So you’re probably thinking…”What does Kenny Loggins have to do with Networking?”, right?  Well, on the surface, nothing.  But if you give me a minute and allow me to share a story, I think you’ll understand.  When I speak to groups, one of the topics that is always woven somewhere in my talks is about connection.  The kind of connection that makes us stop and realize that with all of our differences – in life experience, culture, religion, race, economic – we are all, on the most basic level, the same.  Each of us wants to be heard, appreciated, validated.  When we slow down and take a moment to recognize another person and connect with them, we make a difference, and in this case, a difference that has ripple effects years after the connection was made.

I have attached the video clip that tells the story, because there is nothing like hearing the story from those who experienced it themselves.  Wendy Soderman – the woman at the center of the story – started the school where my children now attend.  The school is a miracle in itself, and every brick, every mural and every student has been infused with her enthusiasm and hope.  Right down to the tile that bears the handprint of Kenny Loggins, located in “The Village” (what many schools may refer to as their cafeteria).  But it’s much more than that.  The story is about making a real connection with someone – even from hundreds of miles away – and the lasting impact it can have on both people, and all those that they touch in the future.  For Wendy, it was the words from Kenny Loggins’ song, “This Is It” that started it all in motion:

“You think that maybe it’s over
Only if you want it to be
Are you gonna wait for your sign, your
miracle
Stand up and fight
This is it”

After you watch the clip, which is hosted by Robert Downey Jr., think about what might happen if each of us were to make the kind of genuine connection with one another that is illustrated by this story.  We would be getting out of life that which I think we are most meant to.  Our lives would be richer and our businesses stronger – because everyone from our families, to our friends to our clients would have a sense of value and appreciation.  We are drawn to people who make us feel this way.  We like to be around them, we want to help them and we want to do business with them.



This entry was posted on January 6, 2011 at 4:24 pm and is filed under Networking. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.