Networking and a Tuxedo Cat
There is a cat in my neighborhood, a tiny, long haired tuxedo cat. He's a flirt, and a bounder. He charms everyone. And he's always outside. I'd been seeing him outside for quite a while, and he's just scruffy enough that I'd thought he was a stray, abandoned by someone who moved. I, and several others started leaving water out for him, and some would leave food out. People would stop and talk when petting him. He has quite the following.
"Tux" intrigued me to the point of putting up a poster, as I feared he was abandoned. He would often try to follow me into my place. He was obviously a people cat.
After a few days, I got a call from Sandy. Tux is really Cosmo, and is not an older kitten, but a three year old cat. And I wasn't the only one he had wrapped around his whiskers.
When the family adopted a puppy, Cosmo, who's always liked being outside, would have none of the mutt and demanded to spend most of his time outside. According to Sandy, Cosmo has wandered into other apartments in the area, and has a number of folks feeding him. Sandy insists Cosmo loves it outside, and seeing him melted on a sidewalk in 90F heat, I believe her.
Cosmo is a networking nexus. People get to talking over Cosmo. The cool thing about it is people just talked to talk, because Cosmo gave us something to talk about. No ulterior motive, no motivated self interest, only casual curiosity about the 5 pound charmer.
And therein is today's lesson. Networking should be about getting to know someone for the sake of getting to know them. Perhaps in the future there might be opportunities for mutual benefit. But for starters, keep it to just being friendly and making the connection for the connection's sake, not personal gain. And not about playing the "I've got a big network" game.
Of course, Cosmo knows that by being friendly, he's getting something out of it; a scritch, some water, maybe some food. But he doesn't count on it. If not you, then someone else will want to make a stronger connection with him. No pressure. And the people who give to Cosmo, do it because it feels good. Mutual benefit rules. Ask Cosmo.
"Tux" intrigued me to the point of putting up a poster, as I feared he was abandoned. He would often try to follow me into my place. He was obviously a people cat.
After a few days, I got a call from Sandy. Tux is really Cosmo, and is not an older kitten, but a three year old cat. And I wasn't the only one he had wrapped around his whiskers.
When the family adopted a puppy, Cosmo, who's always liked being outside, would have none of the mutt and demanded to spend most of his time outside. According to Sandy, Cosmo has wandered into other apartments in the area, and has a number of folks feeding him. Sandy insists Cosmo loves it outside, and seeing him melted on a sidewalk in 90F heat, I believe her.
Cosmo is a networking nexus. People get to talking over Cosmo. The cool thing about it is people just talked to talk, because Cosmo gave us something to talk about. No ulterior motive, no motivated self interest, only casual curiosity about the 5 pound charmer.
And therein is today's lesson. Networking should be about getting to know someone for the sake of getting to know them. Perhaps in the future there might be opportunities for mutual benefit. But for starters, keep it to just being friendly and making the connection for the connection's sake, not personal gain. And not about playing the "I've got a big network" game.
Of course, Cosmo knows that by being friendly, he's getting something out of it; a scritch, some water, maybe some food. But he doesn't count on it. If not you, then someone else will want to make a stronger connection with him. No pressure. And the people who give to Cosmo, do it because it feels good. Mutual benefit rules. Ask Cosmo.
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