More Than WE Know

This week I went to a training program put on by the fantastic organization, Women Unlimited.  Women Unlimited promotes leadership among women and places an emphasis on the value of networking.

During one of the program breaks I met Jan Figueira, CEO of Girls, Inc. of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.  I was very excited as I have been interested in Girls, Inc. for some time.  Their mission “Inspiring All Girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold” resonates with me and aligns with the mission of MoreThanWEKnow.

Coincidentally, Jan had attended the program with the idea in mind of recruiting some talented women to participate in Girls Inc. as volunteers, board members, etc.  During a break, Jan and I discussed the possibility of collaborating.  It turned out that due to logistics, it won’t be possible for me to work with her organization directly.  But Jan offered to put me in touch with the leaders of several branches closer to my home and work (in CT and NY).

Jan and I both had successful networking connections yesterday. Even though it was a coincidence that we met, it didn’t happen entirely by chance. This successful networking connection occurred for several reasons:

1)  awareness;  I had been researching non-profit organizations and had in the back of my mind that I wanted to get involved with one that aligned with my vision.  

2) intention; When introducing herself, Jan publicly announced her need for additional support in her organization and her interest in making contacts with women who shared her vision.  

3) action; Jan and I both made time to reach out to each other despite the busy day

4) connection; Jan and I both kept our minds open to possibilities even when the original purpose didn’t work out.  By offering to introduce me to other Girls, Inc. leaders, Jan acted as a connector for her network.

When networking, we don’t always know how our original intentions will play out.  But by being aware of our needs and setting an intent to achieve them, we open ourselves up to opportunities.  When we take action, we create results - and if we are open-minded we can see the possibilities in those results even if they aren’t what we originally had in mind. 

Spend some time thinking about what you need in your network right now. What roles are missing?  Are you looking for partnership, support, new ideas, new opportunities? Whatever it is - make it clear in your mind and then start communicating it to the world.

What are your networking stories? I’d love to hear about challenges and success!

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