Growing and expanding your network is something every leader should look to do. The more people you know, the more influence you have. You will also have more connections to help others.
I began thinking of my network more as an old acquaintance reached out. I met Greg Atkinson at the Catalyst Leadership Conference, where Paul Sohn and I organized blogger/influencer meet-ups.
These were great times. We’d have 30+ bloggers together sharing their stories. Some brought books, others brought themselves, and still others brought a great time.
His recent reconnect with me as he works on a new writing conference sparked a thought: Who do leaders need to connect with?
I won’t name names. It’s not a who’s who of leaders.
No, I’m going to share the type of person you should connect with.
3 People You Need To Connect With
Mover And Shaker:
A mover and shaker is someone who’s constantly doing something. For me, the first person to come to mind is Kenny Jahng. He’s always doing something. Whether it’s launching a new venture, testing out new technology, or helping churches with AI.
There are thousands of Kennys out there. They’re always looking for the next thing or the next connection.
Why do you need a mover and shaker in your sphere of influence? You need a mover and shaker because they have their finger on the pulse of the latest trends, people, and organizations.
When you connect with a mover and shaker, you gain access to a wealth of wisdom.
Find a mover and shaker.
Deep Thinker:
The next type of person you need to connect with is a deep thinker. What is a deep thinker? A deep thinker looks over situations and analyzes them. They don’t take the surface-level view and run with it. They dig deep. They chew over the information. They get to the bottom of things.
They understand things, how they work and why.
Who’s a deep thinker in your life? Who’s looking at situations with a critical eye to find out everything they need to? Critical thinkers will help you identify possible pitfalls in your plans, suggest new ways of doing work, and encourage you to push on to greater success.
Find a deep thinker.
Close Confidant:
The last type of person we’ll cover today is the close confidant. A close confidant is someone you can go to in the good times, bad times, and worst of times.
A close confidant will listen to you. They’ll hear you. And they’ll be there for you.
Why do you need a close confidant? Because leadership is dangerous. You’re going to be put through the ringer. You need someone you can trust and turn to when those times come.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone close to you to see if they would be your leadership confidant. The sooner you get one, the sooner you’ll be in a good place.
Find a close confidant.
Connection Is Important
Connection is so important. Without a thriving network, you’re going to find yourself floundering. You’ll miss out on the opportunity to form new connections (and help others do the same). You’ll struggle to grasp deep concepts without a deep thinker. And, scariest of all, you’ll feel alone without a close confidant.
