Mike and I have faith in a similar business field. I’m committed to spending my time building professional networks, I’m told that I’m good at what I do, my experience over the years has brought out the best in others and although it’s business at the sharp end, real ‘trenches stuff,’ it’s hugely satisfying.
Today Mike and I discussed the expectation of success, with a pretty good understanding of the local community, I felt the ‘opportunity’ we were currently launching had some great potential.
‘People can either pick you up or let you down eh, Charlie?’
Correct …
Meet Geoff. He was over for the first meeting last week and with a great plan for the business, he fully appreciates that people are the key to success. Geoff has a desire to succeed …
‘I’m looking forward to the opportunity Charlie, when do we start?’ I recall our first conversation …
We have a ten-week build plan in place, Geoff, all we need are the fundamentals and people just like you!
Geoff realised the opportunity of building the community with little risk on the pocket, self-managed, with just a couple of hours per week connecting with your team … ‘there’s great promise Charlie, all we need are right ingredients.’
The bonus I saw in Geoff? With his own plan in place, he knew the work had just begun.
Over the following weeks, people came to meet us, some stayed, others went. Some shared the vision of the future, others were in the room for instant gratification, ‘hunters’ we call them. Life in the trenches, at grassroots beginnings, can be tough … although, we slowly built the numbers by sharing the vision, the bigger picture.
Something unexpected happened though, just before the launch. Geoff, my ally, he of the like mind from the ‘trenches,’ the man with a plan … approached to tell me he’d had a change of mind.
Charlie, I’m not sure I’ve made the right decision. Not sure I can go the distance. Maybe networking is not right for me …
It seems Geoff had been blinded by his own enthusiasm and was finding it difficult to commit to the lesson all of us go through, especially with new relationships. Managing our time, adapting the plan to suit.
Geoff, the faith you showed with work you put in during the build has not gone unnoticed. It’s not all about the business in the hand, or the paycheck. It’s more about how you cope with the business ‘in the trenches’ forging the early relationships that eventually pay off through word of mouth, over the long term. Faith is good Geoff, but we need to work on the bigger picture …
Networking? Working on the business while being ‘in business.’ That’s networking.
CharlieKenny.me 