5 Ways to Create Career Success Through Good Intentions

I've always been a big believer in living my life with good intentions. Throughout my life, I’ve always relished in developing authentic, positive connections with others. I’m a natural networker because I genuinely enjoy making connections - with the right intentions.

However, over the years, I have learned that not all connections are made with the same good intentions. Connections with a tit-for-tat type relationship exchange, or the “if I scratch your back, you will scratch mine", don't work; at least not long term. In order for connections to really be effective, they must be authentic, and they must be made with good intentions. Adam Grant talks about this in his viral TED talk and in his book, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, “If we create networks with the sole intention of getting something, we won’t succeed. We can’t pursue the benefits of networks; the benefits ensue from investments in meaningful activities and relationships.”

When we develop relationships with good intentions, these types of relationships can become sustainable and can last a lifetime.? They also can make your life more fulfilling and successful, both personally and professionally. Below are 5 ways I have created relationships based on good intentions.?

1) Connect on like interests: Regardless of someone’s background, it’s always possible to find some kind of common ground. This could be sports, career, family, kids, hobbies, etc. The vital component is to do this with a genuine interest in the common link you share. If you’re only getting to know someone for what you can get out of the connection, they’ll sniff it out and your greed will come back to bite you. And if someone is using you for a connection, that will come back to bite them as well.

2) Offer help. As the legendary motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” One of the best ways to connect with good intentions is to offer your help without asking for anything in return. The law of attraction says that what you give will come back to you tenfold, so helping others is also helping yourself. Maybe you have some expertise to offer, or you can make an introduction to someone. This shows that you genuinely care about their success without your involvement and without your gain. As with everything on this list, make sure you’re doing this with true good intentions, not for selfish reasons.

3) Keep a mental rolodex. The ability to call on people who are master connectors is a valuable networking tool, as is being able to recommend those people. When you give with good intentions on a consistent basis, your name will be mentioned in rooms that you never thought possible. Keeping abreast of those who share your values of helping others via good intentions, also helps your reputation. Your association with like-minded people - and your ability to call on them when needed - can level you up as a top-of-mind leader and industry expert, enhance your reputation and support your earned credibility.

4) Build your "good intention" network.” Having a diverse network is a plus, but it’s important to have an inner circle of those who share your good intentions and are highly ranked when it comes to a mission-aligned quality network vs a watered-down quantity network. I call this my “soul tribe.” So, as you build your network, identify who you think would be a good addition. Scott Gerber echoes this in a great HBR article: “...being what we call a “superconnector” has nothing to do with supersizing your network. Rather, it’s about surrounding yourself with a carefully curated group of people who you admire and respect and with whom you share common beliefs and values — people who will set the tone for the foundation of your larger network.” These are the people who can be your future business partners, co-founders, investors, and friends, so choose wisely.

5) Learn how to vet people. It isn’t always easy to root out those with less-than-good intentions, especially when you first start networking and building relationships. I like to make the initial connection, and if it feels right, offer my help. Then I Iet it play out from there. You can always tell who appreciates you or acts with good intentions based on how they react or reciprocate. If someone reacts with gratitude or returns the favor, you know who is in it for the right reasons. If not, well then you know which category they fall into.

Stay tuned for my next newsletter, when I talk about “Networking Buckets.”? I’ll explain what they are, how to use them, how to identify who falls into what respective bucket, and how someone can possibly hop buckets. Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss an issue!

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