Get ready to build a network you LOVE filled with people who want to help you succeed personally, professionally, and in the community! When you love your network, you’ll find a never-ending supply of energy, inspiration, and people who want to help you grow as a person, a professional, and a leader in your community.

In May 2023, the US Surgeon General announced a public health crisis created by loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. The crisis affects our lives in our homes, workplaces, and communities. Many factors are attributing to the crisis, but in my experience, we often feel alone because we forget to pause and recognize how connected we are or can be.

Life is ALWAYS a team sport. We are never truly alone, and we are more connected than we think. Each of us needs and has a team we can call on to face life’s greatest challenges.

Our network is our team. Networks are the relationships that fuel our life. Yet, when we talk about networking, many people get anxious and fill up with dread. We need to shift our perspectives and transform how we talk about who is in our network. For example, my network includes childhood neighbors, classmates, soccer teammates, colleagues, and global LinkedIn friends. I have a lot of people and “family members” who are doing cool work and have lived experiences that are very different than my own. Our network is all the people in our lives who make us smile because they provide light, lift, strength, and support.

Quick Action Step: Envision taking “work” out of “network.” When you do this, you are left with “net.”

As I wrote in a previous blog post, “Networks are safety nets to catch you, trampolines to help you leap to new heights, and teams for you to achieve your dreams.” With the right network, you’ll always have the strength, inspiration, and support you need to do remarkable things at work, at home, and in your community. And you’ll become energized as you share resources, connections, and inspiration to lift others and support their success.

The Networking Wheel

A lot of the resistance people have to networking is based on the perception that networking is all about the ask. In reality, networking is all about giving. In this blog post, I share the Networking Wheel as a tool to engage, grow, nurture, and maintain your network. It operates on three core principles: curiosity, generosity, and gratitude. These principles serve as the currencies you use to invest in your relationships. Focus on these elements and see how you can transform your networking from a series of transactional exchanges into meaningful, lasting connections.

Reconnection

Let’s explore the activity of reconnection to put the Networking Wheel into motion. Experience the joy of reconnection and the energy that are created through meaningful conversations and connections.

Step 1: Reflect and List

• Invest 15–30 minutes to reflect on your life.

• List 3–10 people who make you smile. Include people from your whole life. If they made you smile, list them. For example, you may include the parent of a childhood friend who always made you feel safe and welcome. This is your life and your list so include anyone who positively affected your life (a teacher, teammates, former boss, co-workers, fellow volunteers, online connections, and the like)

Step 2: Recall and Note

• What did you feel when you wrote their names?

• What memories made you smile?

• What can you give back that doesn’t cost you anything? Words of gratitude, an uplifting memory, strength and support, energy and inspiration, time, or others.

• How you will reconnect (phone, email, mail, grab a meal, go for a hike)?

Step 3: Reconnect and Enjoy

• Prioritize your list.

• Reconnect with one to two people a week (one note and one phone call/meeting).

• Be in the moment.

• Take notes of how you felt, what they are doing, important milestones in their lives, and when you will reconnect again.

Engagement

When reconnecting, focus on the engagement principles you are using—curiosity, generosity, and gratitude.

• Curiosity: Start the conversation by focusing on them. Be curious. Listen. Ask questions. Be genuinely interested in what they are doing (excited or challenged by) and how they are feeling.

• Generosity: Offer your time, knowledge, and connections where appropriate.

• Gratitude: Share gratitude often and in multiple ways for their time, connections, resources, and stories. Thank them for something recent and for something in the past. Tell them “thank you” in person, in an email, in a voicemail, and by regular mail.

Share Your Experiences

As learning and development professionals, we are called to serve others and help them succeed at work and in life. If you liked the reconnection exercise, please expand on it, and share it with the participants you serve. Weave connection and reconnection activities into onboarding, training, and team meetings. Inspire people to reach out and connect or reconnect with someone today.

Leverage ATD Resources to Build Your Network

1. Grab a copy of ATD’s Handbook for Consultants for more tips and tools on networking. There are examples of the power of networking throughout the book and more tools from me.

2. Participate in ATD’s online communities to connect with other professionals and share insights.

3. Look for upcoming events with an ATD Chapter—start with your nearest local chapter and then expand based on your areas of interest. Chapters across the country are offering virtual programming and many will have a reciprocal relationship to allow members from other chapters to attend their virtual events.

For more detailed guides and additional tips on building a network you love, follow me and watch for more of my ATD posts. Let’s inspire, guide, and energize each other to tap into the power of our networks and create a world that works better.