I'm currently reading "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" the third book in the thrilling series by Stieg Larsson. This line just absolutely jumped out at me: "We always owe each other one." This line spoken in response to the comment: "I owe you one."

This is EXACTLY what great networking feels like. Those people who are most central to my network and I seem to have conversations something like this all the time. In fact just last week I had an exchange where a good friend asked me to let her know when she could return a favor I'd done for her. My response was that what I'd done was the least that I could do for a laundry list of favors she'd done for me over a period of years.

I'm not suggesting that you keep score in your relationships. What I am suggesting is that when you work hard to help other people in your network those favors can be returned back and forth so many times that you absolutely lose track. This is what truly great networking relationships are all about.

There's just something about this quote that I absolutely love. Once you get to a certain point in a relationship. Likely some type of assistance has passed back and forth. Maybe you've provided a referral, and the other person had made a key introduction for you. When you get to that level if you can adopt this mentality of always owing each other a favor you will be in a truly great place.

Ask yourself this. Who in your network do you already have a relationship like this with? I'd be willing to bet that these are the strongest and best networking relationships you have. Now do yourself a favor and reach out to one of them right now, especially if you haven't talked in a while. I have a feeling you'll be doing yourself a huge favor.

Happy Networking!