Investing in People and Relationships

posted on December 13, 2005



In my last post, Investing in Networking, I compared networking to investing. You may want to read that post before reading this one. The way you invest in networking is by investing in people and relationships.

 

Each time you can make an impact in somebody else’s life you’re investing in them. You might be able to give them a referral, connect them with a mentor, or provide some other type of resource or advice. It’s these investments that will pay dividends in the future. Just be sure not to expect it from them. Forcing your expectations on these people you’ve invested in will quickly spoil your relationship with them.

 

I’ve made many many investments in people. Sometimes it’s a small piece of advice that may or may not have been useful for the person I gave it to. Other times I’ve gone out of my way to help someone on their own road to success. In every case I’ve always gotten back more than I’ve given. Even if what I got back was the satisfaction of having helped make a difference in someone else’s life.

 

I can’t tell you how many people have, and are making investments in me. The generosity I’ve seen, especially here in Austin has been amazing. Those of you who know me know that my memory isn’t always the greatest. That being said, I don’t ever forget the people who have helped me. It’s very important for me personally to make sure that those who have invested in me not only get back at least what they invested, but also interest on their investment.

 

It almost always works out… You might want to read my previous post about “Networking Karma.” Things don’t always come back exactly the way you’d expect, but a lot of times they do. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been on both ends of these investments where one person did so much more for the other it didn’t seem like it would be possible to ever repay them. In almost every case it’s worked itself out. These are the ultimate win/win situations.

 

Make an investment in someone today.

 

Happy networking!



Scott Ingram

Author: Scott Ingram

Categories: Austin, Business Advice, Business Networking, Networking Tips, Scott Ingram