How To Make The Right Connection

I often hear this phrase in success talks,  “it’s about the right connection, having access to the right people at the right time”

photo credit to allroads.me/social-media-marketing/are-you-making-the-right-connections-on-linkedin/

Before I plunged into solopreneurship, I often hear from success gurus that one of the ingredients for a successful venture is your network or connection. I could not agree more, as an HR Executive of 2 of the leading companies in PH, connecting to the right network is value-adding.

On another note, in one of my meetings with 2 successful young entrepreneurs, they are complaining of the “mafia-like” attitude of another group who denied and blocked referrals for them because they do not belong. Just like in blogging, I heard that there are groups that will claim that they are the elite, the A’s, best of the best, and so forth. If you’re not part of these groups, they say, you’ll never get invited to top-of-the-line events w/high-value freebie.

With this, allow me to share not only my thoughts on the matter but my experiences too. I am a firm believer that for every door of opportunity that opens, “a human hand is on the doorknob”. This is an undeniable fact.

I learned in my corporate life that people, rather than allow the normal and rightful process [for the “human hand” to open the door], find creative ways to “influence” so the door can be opened “immediately”.

1. By means of gifts, if not an outright bribe.
2. By using the reputation built by the patriarch behind the “surname”
3. By using relationships.
4. By “being beholden”
5. By threats
6. By any means that can manipulate

While these can give the desired result, it will either be short-lived or troublesome. Any process that was not followed to expedite the outcome (short-cut) will deliver a lower-tier result. i.e., instant bulalo vs. old school bulalo, Padrino-based job promotion vs. performance-based promotion.

A better approach would be, and this is the model that I believed, is to let the process take its course. If someone opens a door of opportunity, it’s because of God’s favor and resulting from your attitude and performance. Not a result of manipulative coercion.

Abrahams example of choosing the right connection

“I make a promise to the Lord, the God Most High, who made heaven and earth.23 I promise that I will not keep anything that is yours. I will not keep even a thread or a sandal strap so that you cannot say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ Genesis 14:22-23 (NCV)

If you will read the context of the story, he refused to get beholden to people, lest people who gave him wealth will one day grab credit for his accomplishments. It is better to lift up God behind a successful venture than get beholden to people or pay your way up.

I am a funny guy, I refuse to go with the flow, I almost shun the herd mentality. If this is the “in” thing, I would rather watch from a distance. If I find it value-adding, I quietly test the waters. A good example of this is the social web, I am in the water so to speak because this is beneficial. BUT, I don’t join the herd for every sensational issue there is. I would rather look at the horizon and prepare for what is to come when everyone else followed what the majority is doing.

For example, when we started the cyber wellness campaign,  we anticipated large-scale abuses that may take place, before they even happen. It was unheard of, at that time, that was unheard of before, then the Christopher Lao incident, and more after that. Now, NGOs, the Government, and a Telco have launched similar advocacy.

Another example, my HR 3.0 (Digital HR), way back in 2010, nobody is paying attention to this, but right now, the industry is now opening up to automation.

God will give us an idea to be great, to be the head and not the tail. But these ideas will not have flesh and bone unless we embrace them, make a step of faith and jumpstart a project. People will recognize the nobility behind a God-given idea.

There will be individuals who would like to ride on with your project, not because they are sincere in helping, but for the reciprocated benefit it can give them. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying, x deals or sponsorships are bad. But if in the process, because of what they bring to the table, they will grab the credit.

Another reason why I believed in this model is

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. Proverbs 10:22

And this is something that people must figure out,

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD;  he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Prov 21:1 [NIV]

At the end of the day, regardless of the efforts we make to influence decision-makers, it is God’s call. Therefore, if with or without your intervention, God can influence people to do it for us, why stress ourselves on this and beholden yourself to another person unnecessarily?

The Right Connection

6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success. Prov 3:6 [NCV]

18 Riches and honor are mine to give. So are wealth and lasting success. Prov 8:18 [NCV]

In the course of my work, I got hired, promoted to a senior manager, then offered a C-level executive position, Not because I know the people who opened the door, but because I believed in the blesser. Seek the blesser, and blessings will follow.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD;  he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Prov 21:1 [NIV]

Success is sweeter if you are not beholden to anyone [except God]. BUT, when God touched people to open a door for you, do not forget them. Give credit, respect, and honor where and when it is due.

Networking is not bad, and it’s cool to earn and achieve our goals thru our network, but it’s way better if they give this to you without your subtle, sweet, or forceful coercion.