Heidi Saucier

Are you ready to take the next step in networking?

Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities. ~Michele Jennae

An often-shared piece of professional development advice centers around networking. As an introvert-leaning ambivert, I thrive in smaller groups and one on one interactions but am not opposed to being a part of larger group settings. I love to spend time with people, but at the end of day I need time to recharge and am one who often observes and processes new situations before sharing. Because of this, the thought of networking early in my career was daunting. It was more comfortable to mingle with those I knew and not try to meet new people. Once I moved outside my comfort zone, I built relationships and introduced myself to new opportunities to grow in my career. I now have individuals I can reach out to when I need support on a project. For those I mentor, I can connect them with people for additional insight. I also have partners for future collaboration, mentors and peers to go to for guidance, and teachers of skills I’m not as experienced in.

For those of you looking to expand your network, I encourage you to take the next step. Here are some tips to help you.

If you haven’t done much networking, where can you start?

  1. Ask your teammates to introduce you to colleagues.
  2. Make a list of people you have met in professional settings. They might include coworkers, classmates, or other professionals. Pick two and ask if you can set up time to catch up. As you become more comfortable, reach out to more people on your list.
  3. Does your company have resource networks you can join? This is a great opportunity to meet people with common interests. These groups will introduce you to coworkers from other areas of the organization and help you learn what other teams are doing that you may not have discovered otherwise.
  4. Join a professional organization that aligns with your career goals and start attending meetings. Make a goal to meet at least three new people at each event you attend. Don’t forget to ask for contact information so that you can connect after the meeting!
  5. Find connections through LinkedIn. You can start with people you already know, then start looking for contacts from common industries or organizations you have worked at.

If you have established a network, how can you take it to the next level?

  1. Create two or three goals related to insights or opportunities you want to gain through networking. It could be a new career opportunity, professional development, brainstorming new ideas, or another professional focus.
  2. Each month, select three or four people from your network to contact and ask to schedule time to connect to discuss a specific topic.
  3. If you are involved in a resource network or professional organization, offer to help coordinate a networking event to help bring people together to meet others and make new connections.

I hope that these suggestions can move you in the right direction to grow your network and build some amazing business relationships. If you’d like to talk more about networking, reach out to me and I’ll be happy to chat!

Heidi Saucier

Energy Givers and Drainers

We’re on to the next of the reflection questions I’ve been sharing.

What gives you energy – and what drains it? This has been a discovery over time that continues to help me find balance not only as a leader, but in all aspects of life. I’ve found for myself that some of my energy givers and drainers have slight similarities and have factors that are key to when certain things bring energy and when they take it away.

One area has to do with interactions with others. When I am involved in small group and one on one conversations, I gain energy during the interaction. I enjoy learning about others and hearing their experiences and insights on various topics. When it’s all done, I have to regroup and reenergize. At the same time, being in large groups and engaging in crowd events will quickly drain energy from me (unless it’s a Foo Fighters concert – that’s one of the rare times I find a balance of energy!). I’ve learned to focus much of my time on smaller interactions. When I am in larger groups, I prepare for the experience then decompress at home as soon as I can!

Learning also brings me a lot of energy. I am truly a learning nerd, always looking for new topics and experiences that bring growth. Whether it’s discovering a new recipe, watching a video on nutrition, looking up steps to use a particular software program, reading an insightful book, or exploring a variety of subjects, I come out excited and encouraged about what I have learned.

On the other hand, an area that is known to drain energy in my world is struggling with change. While able to adapt to change in many scenarios, there are times when I am hesitant to move forward with something new. If faced with a situation that I do not have experience with or feel that there’s not a reason to change because the current circumstances are working fine, my stubborn Taurus nature may flare up and I may first dig my heels in the ground. When this happens, I become exhausted fighting to keep things the way that they are while knowing the change is beneficial to my life. This has occurred in personal, professional, family, and other areas. How have I handled this? In many cases, I take the time to pause and review the whole picture related to the change. From there, as a friend and coworker recently coined, I become comfortable with being uncomfortable. When I take this approach, it may not always be easy but at the same time I persevere and keep moving in the direction necessary to navigate through that change.

Coming to learn some of these contributors to gaining or losing energy, I’ve realized an important lesson. Being intentional to invest my time in the energy givers and being mindful when energy drainers are creeping into my life allows me to change course and point myself back to what energizes me. Where do you find you gain the most energy? What tries to take that energy away from you? Share in the comments!