SAM'S CENTS
It Pays to Be Generous
People are always telling me I have a wide and varied network. Sure, I am strong in the names and faces department, but it isn’t just that. I like to collect people, and once I meet you, it is hard to shake me. I typically find a way to keep in touch. I am sure a therapist could have a field day as to why, but in the meantime, let’s chat networking.
When I was younger and had tons of single friends, I loved to set people up on blind dates. I heard many people say "I wouldn’t want to get involved should something go wrong." To me the potential payoff (a happy marriage!) was always worth the potential pitfalls (awkward parties). It is the same with my business contacts. Not a day goes by when I am not connecting people that could help each other in business. It is a huge part of how I spend my time and it is almost always worth it.
Lately, I have run into people who hoard their contacts. They don’t want to share them because they might need to reach out to them soon or they want to think about it before making an intro. But having a great network and hoarding your contacts is like making a lot of money and storing it all under your mattress. You won’t accrue any goodwill or currency that way.
It pays to be generous.
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