Building a Network BEFORE You Need One

I haven't done a survey on the subject (or read one done by anyone else), but my experience is that the vast majority of people pay little heed to their network until they need one.

Like I expect you are, I am getting an increased number of contacts from people I worked with years ago and haven't heard from since then. Now because I believe that those of who are employed need to try to do what we can to help those who are not, I respond to these contacts. But expecting people who you haven't talked to in 20+ years to do wonders for you is far from an ideal situation.

Having an effective network is like having money in a bank. You need to put "currency" in your network bank in the good times so that you have "currency" to withdraw in the tough times. The currency of networking is the good deeds you have done for others.

One of my mentors, the wonderful Zig Ziglar, taught me many years ago that:

You can get whatever you want in life, if you will help enough others get what they want.

Want to have support if you lose your job, or your business fails, then make your deposits starting TODAY! Give and you will be in a position to get.

It is never too late to start saving, and it is never too late to start giving.

In the last week, what have you done for contacts outside your immediate family to help them deal with these tough times?