I’ve known for a long time that I’m naturally drawn towards making connections – connecting people with resources, with other people, with ideas. It seems like a day rarely passes where I’m not sending some link, article or other resource I’ve dug up to someone I know because I was reminded of a conversation we had, or a passion we share.
Connecting people to resources around whatever excites them, what brings them alive, is exciting and fun for me. Providing resources to fuel someone else’s passion in turn energizes me.
Sometimes the resource I’ve found is a fit for the recipient, and sometimes it isn’t. But it’s really about facilitating a new possibility. As a former colleague of mine once told me, the term "facilitate" comes from the French word, "facile": easy. Being a facilitator should be about making things easier.
Facilitator, reference librarian, connector – I’m not sure what the right term is, but making connections links into key values of mine about service to others, collaboration, and creativity. I know that when I’m connecting with others in this way, I’m tapping into my best self. It’s part of how I define how I’m making a difference.
What about you? What role does connecting play in your work to make a difference?
Before specializing as a professional coach in 2004, I spent more than a decade in leadership, management and program development for state and local government and non-profit organizations. Now I get to help leaders and teams have more clarity and ability to stand up for what's important in their work and in their organizations. Working with me, leaders and teams find more meaning and purpose, feel happier and more confident, navigate change and conflict, and work together better.
Hanna,
I had just forwarded a discussion column on ADD to a coaching colleague and copied another link to check out for a friend when I read your comments on Connecting.
For me, connecting is what it’s all about! It’s a powerful way of investing in my relationships by letting them know I’m thinking of them.
On the receiving end it’s great too. I’ve heard from people out of the blue only when they have a new program or service to promote, and it’s disappointing.
It’s all about intention, isn’t it? What is my intention for these relationships? I was part of a study many years ago and learned that the best relationships are reciprocal over time. Healthy relationships include give and take, and I love the feeling of giving first.
Thanks for the positive start to my day, Hanna!