Earlier this year I offered a post asking you about the circles in which you socialized, hung out, networked. It’s here if you need a refresher.
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Today I’m sharing a list that might inspire you to add even more diversity, interest, excitement, dimension, real power, and (dare I say it) fun, energy, and enjoyment to your network.
I shared some of this list recently while facilitating an interactive workshop to a group of corporate leaders. Our discussion that day wasn’t just about networking. It was about building a truly powerful, useful network that works for you, enriches you, engages you, inspires you, and keeps you in the loop on what’s really going on in, not just in your sphere but far, far beyond.
So here’s The List. Do you have these people in your network? And who else would you add?
- Friends
- Family
- People in your next job (or business)
- People who’ve done what you want to do
- People about to do what you’re about to do
- Mentors
- Mentees
- Role models
- People who will give you specific, constructive, honest, objective feedback
- People who will help you take your next step, whether it’s big or tiny
- People who are there for you, even when you fail or mess up
- Energizers
- Fun people
- People who like to dance
- People who like to do the stuff you like to do
- People who like to do stuff you haven’t tried yet
- Serious people
- Resilient people
- Fellow adventurers
- Connectors
- Listeners
- Mavens
- Leaders
- Emerging leaders
- Emerging leaders who don’t even know they’re emerging leaders yet
- Peers
- Competitors
- People older than you
- People younger than you
- People from other cultures
- People with other beliefs
- People who read
- People who go places and do stuff
- People who know the stuff you don’t know
- Functional experts
- Operational experts
- Strategic minds
- Tactical minds
- Creative minds
- Practical minds
- Gatekeepers
- Influencers
- Champions
- Opinion leaders
- Thought leaders
- Calm people
- Energizer Bunny people
- Enemies
- Enemies of your enemies
- Industry leaders
- Thinkers
- Feelers
- Creatives
- People like you
- People not like you
People you should avoid at all costs:
- Drainers
- Negative Nellies
- Psychic Vampires of the Apocalypse
- Chronic brain pickers
- Paralyzed Pollies
- Anyone who sucks the life, the brilliance, the love, and the fire out of you
Would you debate any of these suggestions? Who would you add to or take off of either list?
Once again, Patti D you have engaged my mind to a painful but necessary point!
A couple of things occurred to me…
1. Isn’t it lovely that the list of who we desire in our life is so long and the list of who we don’t allow is so short?
2. The one type of person I would add even though it could fit in other categories is a spiritual guru. It is the spiritually sound people in my life that have carried me when no one else could.
Just a thought…
Thanks for being you!
Jan
Hello Jan and thanks for your thoughtful comments. You are a perfect model of someone who has much diversity in her list of friends, associates and clients. Says so much about you. I think your addition to the list is an excellent one!