Developing your Community

All of us have a need to expand our community, and whether you want to refer to it as networking or rainmaking, which have a “selling” connotation, developing your personal community opens access to fellowship, experiences, and opportunities.

Many of us believe that developing our personal community requires us to operate out of our comfort zone. But the truth is, the more loyal you are to your personal wiring, the more effective your community-building will be.

As I have connected with successful networkers or rainmakers over the years, I would ask them to share their secrets.?It was very clear that they struggled to articulate or even know how to define the reasons for their success.?Another interesting discovery was that most of these individuals did not consider themselves extroverts. Nor did they see themselves having special experience, skills, or intellect.

As I continued to watch them engage in personal and business relationships, I was fascinated that they did not consider their efforts to work. It was so automatic and effortless that they could not clearly articulate what came naturally to them.

As individuals, we become slaves to our own habits. Therefore, it makes sense that community builders, or rainmakers, establish habits that work within their wiring. There is an old saying that goes like this: “Practice makes perfect.”?Actually, I believe that “practice makes habits”, and practicing the right rainmaking habits that suit your wiring will positively impact your results.

My personal strategy for community building is to be “the connector”, where I bring people together for their benefit. My only responsibility is to deliver a transparent introduction of the two parties and provide enough of their personal backgrounds to jumpstart their relationship. This has become the most “natural” habit for expanding my network.

Going into any situation thinking, “whom can I serve?” rather than “who can help me?” puts me into a giving rather than a taking mindset. Most professionals see their comfort level and reception skyrocket with this consistent approach.

So, how seriously do we take on the responsibility to serve and exercise our influence? Are we prepared with relevant insight??

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