Get to know someone today

Pick up the phone and ask someone to meet you for lunch. Invite someone you’d like to learn from, someone you could get to know a little better.

Choose four questions to bring along with you:

• What advice would you have given yourself five years ago?
• Favorite aspect of your work?
• Most challenging part of your job?
• You can pick one person to have coffee with. Who would it be?
• Where do you go for…
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The art of community

Community doesn’t just happen. It takes time and effort and care.

Amidst routine and packed schedules, relationships deserve a sacred setting. You can’t deny the electricity that encompasses a group breaking bread. It’s an act that has held magic and mystery for centuries.

Whether the dining table, the running track, the book club, or the coffee group, find your place for sharing and storytelling. The more authentic you can be, the more comfortable…

3 simple ways to bring serendipity into your life

Some of the best connections happen when you least expect it. Call it luck, fate or serendipity, there’s something magical about meeting the right person at the right time. The secret lies in getting out of your comfort zone and letting serendipity lead the way. 3 tips to get you started:

1. Force yourself to be social.

The moments you don’t feel like meeting new people… I swear, if you can get…

The power of weakness

In moments of confusion, doubt, insecurity and despair, we feel least like connecting. It becomes tempting to create distance, sit in the corner, and focus inward when feeling less than. We convince ourselves that failures and struggles are better left unspoken.

Yet these moments often proceed sparks of brilliance and unstoppable action.

Too often we rob ourselves of the full spectrum of human connection. An empathic word or kind touch can…

The magic of introductions

If you’ve been the recipient of a polished introduction, you’ve probably failed to recognize its subtle magic. An introduction is a moment of alchemy; part ceremonious, part craft, part prologue. It’s quick, seemingly effortless, and gracefully leads you into an engaging discussion. In the blink of an eye, you’re feeling confident, interesting, interested, and at ease.

A savvy intro builds a bridge between two strangers and shows them a path…

6 ways to turn small talk into real talk

Ask.

Bring thoughtful, open-ended questions to the table. Your prompts can help shape the conversation at hand. If your delivery is honest and curious, you’ll be met with an equally forthright response.

Be patient.

It’s common to feel nervous, get antsy, want to head for the door or look for a new group. The juice comes after the squeeze. Stay where you are. Be present. You don’t need to work…

A free program

If you’ve felt it, you know magic happens when the right people enter a space.

Sometimes it’s serendipity; most of the time there’s a driving force.

I want to encourage you to take part in what Seth Godin has dubbed the Connection Economy — to use your most meaningful relationships to inspire you to create art, contribute to your community, and nourish the connections in your own life.

Deepen the…

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7 ways to up your game by meeting people

1. Connect with other industries.

Spending time with professionals who excel in industries other than your own can help you discover new approaches in your own line of work. Step outside of your immediate field, identify transferrable skills, and work together on complementary initiatives.

2. Discuss things that aren’t familiar.

Learn new terms and expand your horizons by venturing from typical conversation starters. A learned tidbit may assist you in building rapport…

Disappointing relationships? It could be you.

I often hear the following:

• My relationships aren’t fulfilling.
• I’m not meeting the right people.
• I’m not as connected as I’d like to be.
• My employees don’t respect me.
• My team isn’t as close as when we first began.
• I’m not introduced in the way that I’d like.
• I can’t find people who share my interests.
  

It’s easy to place the blame on outside factors and fault something external, something beyond our control — a difficult situation,…