Know where you want to go and make sure the right people know about it.
Meredith Mahoney
Are you one of the many who are reluctant to attend Networking events? Then when you do, sit quietly in a corner with no interaction just green with envy? That’s the story of many who hate networking. But it’s a necessary thing to do especially if you are planning to Ditch your Job or Switch it to entrepreneurship. Networking is interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.
Dr. Marcia Ballinger shared her article titled I Hate Networking and tips to do it right. Here I share 3 favs:
Networking Tips
Learn from and Focus on Others. A networking meeting is meant for you to learn from and focus on the other person. Not yap about yourself
Get To Know and Build Relationships. The people you are connecting with will almost never have a job. They will, however, have wisdom and ideas, connections and information. Networking is about getting to know the person and making/building a relationship. Job possibilities follow
Engage in Meaningful Conversations. Networking is about having meaningful questions to ask the person you’re meeting. You actually end up doing very little talking.
To dig a little deeper, here’s a discussion I had with Soft Skills Coach Maxine Barnett. Listen as she gives tips on how to do it right.
Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.
Alan Collins
Is there anything missing or is there anything that resonates with you? Do share. We would love to hear.
This Question was posed by Think & Grow Prosper. It sparked my interest so I decided to read a synopsis of the over 4K Visceral responses. Some Synchronized, some humorous, while others left readers in deep thought. Here I share:
No Apologies
I don’t know
God’s Journey
Nope,Wrong Book
Sunshine
Dreamer
Fate of Tragedies
Where’s the Donut?
Burnt Desires with regrets
Journey of Mistakes
Uprising
The Chronicles of Surviving in Today’s Society
The Endless Possibilities of a Life Lovingly Lived
Why me?
Wasted Years
Don’t Have your Children 16 Years Apart and Here’s Why
We have all been there. Times when we feel we are at a crossroad and don’t know whether to stay with the company, or whether to go. It’s not an easy road. Certainly a time for deep reflection and analysis. But it can be done using helpful strategies.
7 Signs That Tells You When To Look for New Opportunities
Extracted from theMuse, here are my top 7 WHENs that you can use to know when it’s time to move on.
When you are unhappy most of the day. What’s the point of being unhappy doing what you do?
When the only way you can move up is when your boss retires. Oh well, need I say more?
When you get passed over for a promotion more than once
When your company is cutting back or your industry is shrinking. Astonished?Commonsense really…extinction is at hand. Be alert. Keep your eyes…
Contactless – Not involving contact. Not requiring touching or interaction between people
Hungry? Order a meal. It’s not a problem, Uber delivers. Need a last minute birthday gift? An outfit to go on the town with your boo? These sure ain’t no problem these days. Amazon delivers, and if you have prime.., that’s even better. You get it in a day!
Smartphone, e-maps, e-mail on the go. Hit the pause button during a movie are things that our little ones can’t fathom living without.
Don’t call me. Text. WhatsApp. Not to mention the gazillion channels on our big screen TVs, yet we still can’t find the right one to watch. Netflix anyone?
Religious? Going to church? Overrated. That’s a thing of the past. Thanks to the pandemic, We meet online. Those old folk shut-ins ain’t got nothing on us.
These days it seems if you drink you can still drive. All you need to do is program your smart car to take you home – driverless… or so you think. I fathom you’re on your own if the cops catch you. And we could go on and on.
Our High Tech World
What has our society come to? Even the Bible has been translated into so many versions that I can hardly recognize John 3:16 anymore. Some versions have totally missed the meaning. But then again who reads the Bible anymore? After all, we are able to listen to all those famous preachers on demand. Who needs to read when we can listen to what they want to share with us. Let them preachers read it and tell us.
Sigh…
We have it all wrong. Our lives need the stillness and quietness that only comes from reading the word and listen to the still small voice. Only then we will be able to hear what’s said to those hurting and in pain. Only then will we be able to perceive what and how the good lord wants us to lead others to him for the peace that only he provides. Only then will we be able to comfort those who mourn. Only then will we be able to rejoice with those who shout with joy unspeakable when their blessings come through.
Going Solo
Our contactless society invites opportunities for :
Solo Sadness
Solo Mourning
Solo Fears
Going solo means no one has to know. But as often said, what’s done in quiet comes to light when those who are sad find themselves overwhelmed. The effects are the sad fruit of suicidal thoughts which become evident. And… before we jump to say that couldn’t happen to me… reflect on the signs of the rich and famous. Those who suffer in silence unable to face it anymore. Travel enthusiast Anthony Bourdain; Comedian Robin Williams; Miss USA Cheslie Kryst are just a few. We join with their loved ones as they still mourn.
Tis sad indeed. Our contactless society feeds aloneness, even in a crowd.
Let’s together do what we can in our small corner to connect with those behind closed doors. And if they won’t answer… that’s when you counter with direct help. Mental illness is a big thing that we can no longer sweep under the carpet and play hush-hush. Contact those trained to help.
Things To Do
Things we can do are:
Shut up and listen.
Pay attention. There is always a sign(s)
Check in on friends who go quiet or missing
Invade their privacy … but do it wisely, quietly and with caution
Be real. A genuine spirit can be felt just like the hypocritical ones
Don’t be afraid to ask “Are you okay?” It sounds simple but it’s the thing to do
Pray. It works. Ask for wisdom, guidance and that spirit of discernment
Here’s hoping this reflection motivates and inspires you to reach out to a friend or loved one today.
How are you coping in our contactless world? Do share. We would love to hear.
Sometimes we need a little clarification about what’s important these days. I pounced upon Denzel’s caution given to a reporter. It intrigued many so I thought I’d share. Read or listen. It’s her to choose.
If you don’t read the paper you are uninformed. If you do read the paper, you are misinformed. So what do you do? What is the long term effect of too much information? One of the effects is the need to be first, not even to be true anymore. So what responsibility do you have? To tell the truth. Not just to be first. We live in a society now where its just first. Who cares? Get it out there. We don’t care who it hurts. We don’t care who we destroy. Just say it. Sell it. Anything you practice, you’ll get good at…including b.s. ~Denzel Washington
Women’s History Month Celebration at the island Space Museum. Guest Speaker Dr. Solanges Vivens CAribbean American Heritage Award (CARAH) Winner for Outstanding Entrepreneurship will be featured.
As fellow Author and CARAH Partner, It’s my delight to moderate the event. Dr Viven’s book Girls Can Move Mountain, will be featured.
Life ends when you stop dreaming, hope ends when you stop believing and love ends when you stop caring
Unknown
When everything stops, or should I say…when everything should stop. More than a decade ago I lost my grandmother-the matriarch of our family. Cancer had returned in her three score and ten years. It didn’t stop her from being who she was…the be-all-and-end-all of our lives. But then one day the bank manager where I worked called me into her office, sat me down and told me the hospital had called. My grandmother was gone.
Perturbed, I looked around. Customers were still in the bank walking around doing their daily business. I could not understand. For me everything had stopped.
I reflect on what’s happening around the world. Threats and bombs going off explosively. Yet elsewhere, people go about their business as usual, posting on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. It begs the question…is there a bridge? Do we care? Yep, many really do care. Benevolence saturates the heart and for sure, with gas prices skyrocketing, the world will start feeling the effects.
So let’s not give up hope because fear stops life and love ends when we stop caring.
Success Strategies 