I have always been a joiner, but I usually had only one or two “best friends.” I suppose psychologists have a bucket to put me in. It all started with Girl Scouts when I was just a kid, and there were all the technical organizations (Math Club, Science Club, etc.) in high school, the service fraternity in college. Early in my career, I was asked to join the Society of Petroleum Engineers, then the Society of Women Engineers, then the local API, and in each and every one I had a great experience. I was never just a member, though; I participated wholeheartedly in all of them. I was a committee leader, an officer, the president, and even on a national board. I met and worked with a great many very talented people along the way. In one way or another, I relished each and every relationship.

Many years later, I find I have an extensive business network, most of which was developed without the use of a computer, email, cell phones, or ipads. It was done the old fashioned way, face to face, forming relationships with other people. Some of this has been necessary due to the need to promote my own businesses, but most of it has been just pure fun and rewarding! The best part today is that I can run into people whom I have not seen in 30 years, and the conversation just continues with a familiar feel as though it had been only days ago that we had spoken. These connections are comfortable and, in varying situations, very valuable to my business and to me personally. I am reaping the benefits today of an enormous investment of my time in the past that was done so effortlessly and a little at a time that I did not even know I was doing it. Or what result it would even have.

Today, we hear about networking everywhere as though it is another job we have to do. We log on and click and connect. We have social networks and business ones. LinkedIn is a very valuable tool, because it is so popular and so easy to use. You have first connections and second and third ones too, that are the connections of your connections, friends of friends of friends! I use it extensively for research and marketing of our services, but these connections are not (yet) relationships. I have many connections, but honestly I don’t know most of you personally. I wish I did! Nearly every week in our staff meetings we talk about which customers and potential customers we have talked to and which ones we have tried to contact. Inevitably, we have “LinkedIn” with them or emailed them to no avail. My response is almost always, “His delete key is probably worn out! Pick up the phone! Go over to visit!” I ache for the days of old fashioned handshakes.

It is astounding to me what progress has been made in global connectivity, and that is a really good thing. But just like two kids texting each other while in the back seat of the same car, it is not nurturing or developing relationships. I challenge each of us to do just a little bit better. Forget the word “networking.” Get out there. Go to meetings. Shake hands. Take a colleague to lunch. Volunteer to help flood victims. Don’t keep track of who you meet. Just live in the moment of enjoying the human connection. In 20 or 30 or 40 years, you will be astounded at how extensive your true network really is!

I would like to be part of your network. Click! Or, even better, call me.

www.collarini.com