The Network Starts Today

Yesterday, Harry Stockhausen, from Expert Publishing, Inc., dropped off a few books at my house. Harry has been instrumental in my working through the final writing, editing (there’s where Sharron took over), and publishing of Crafting a Successful Career: 8 Principles for Winning in a Challenging World—my most recent writing project in the area of careers and success. It was an exhilarating feeling to see the work come to fruition, tangibly. Wow.

Riding the wave of excitement, I decided to write a few of my friends to let them know that the book had finally come to print and to let them know of my Website at http://www.thesuccessfulcareer.com . That’s when it dawned on me, the practicality of the fifth principle I had taught: Networking. The people I was contacting were my network—and there were many on that list. I’m blessed. I’ve made many contacts in my years in the workforce and since, and I’ve kept contact with many of the people. I really do have a network.

I think that’s true for you right now also: you really do have a network. And you can build on it, today.

No matter where you are, whether in class, at a social function, wherever you are, you are probably in contact with people you know. They can become part of your network. “Reach out and touch someone” was the tag line from a TV ad a long time ago, but it’s almost a command in today’s world. You can do it. And the people around you are golden—there’s no one you can’t learn something from. Stated better: everybody has a story, and we can learn something from just about every person we come in contact with. My encouragement: be aware of your opportunities to build that network today, and get going. Now.

So I encourage you to organize the list of those in your network, and do it today, if you haven’t done so before. You have a network. Maybe it just needs a little organizing. These are folks you can help; and they can help you.

Time to get at it.

Just a thought.