Harnessing the power of your connections

Are you surrounded by people who agree with your purpose in business and support you no matter what? More importantly, perhaps, how many people are in your circle of influence, people you can rely on to tell it as it is – even if it doesn’t make for easy listening?  

No matter how successful you become, you’ll need to build connections with people who will be forthright and honest with you. Can you imagine creating and developing a new product or service and bringing it to market because your friends gushed and agreed with your concept, only to find out later (after it crashed) that those same ‘friends’ didn’t have the heart or the courage to tell you they didn’t like it? How do you think that would make you feel? Betrayed? Let down? 

While it’s great to have friends around who like your ideas, it pays to have other influencers in your circle. But, don’t rush it. At networking events, for example, take the time to find out how other business owners created their success and their wealth. Learn everything you can about their business and how they achieved success and how they overcame hurdles. Suss out how credible and trustworthy they are. If you like what you see and respect their principles, ask if they’d consider mentoring you or to have coffee with you and act as a sounding board for your new business venture. They can only say no!  

Having meaningful connections in your life is about surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and who will support and encourage you through good times and bad. Harnessing the power of those connections isn’t about having people around you who avoid telling you the truth. Rather it’s about having people around you that will tell it like it is, even if you don’t want to hear it, because it’s in your best interests for them to do so.