Guest Post by Ron Whent, President of Unlimited Horizons Inc.
Everyone is trying to catch on to the tidal wave called social media. Why is it so popular and what does it all mean? We all have a primal need to connect with other people. Social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. have enabled us to do just that. Does it allow us to build satisfying relationships or does it make us feel unfulfilled? How can we use this resource more effectively? Here are some things to think about…
- Effective relationships are a two-way street. Use social media to introduce yourself. Let them know you want to build a meaningful relationship but first you want to learn more about them. Explore by asking questions, giving each other meaningful feedback, and setting some ground rules.
- Great relationships are based on mutual trust, honesty and respect. They will grow when you give freely and don’t expect anything in return…selfless not self-serving. This applies to both praise and constructive criticism. You are there to help not hurt.
- Connecting face-to-face is critical to any relationship. We need to use all our senses to determine if this is going to work. It’s difficult to hide behind one-way communication when we are confronted with the real person.
- When unable to connect face-to-face, use social media as an alternative. Remember the old saying…out of sight is out of mind.
One of my clients wanted to build authentic relationships by blending the two concepts. We created a bucket list of 50 people they wanted to meet and develop a meaningful relationship with. We created a system of steps using both social media and face-to-face interaction. The results to-date has been most encouraging.
Remember: 1) Use social media for new introductions, 2) Demonstrate mutual trust, honesty and respect, 3) Connect face-to-face to determine long-term commitment, 4) Use social media between visits.
******
As President of Horizons Unlimited Inc., Ron Whent has 30+ years of business experience in a cross-section of industries. He brings a hands-on, high energy approach to developing people and is a true servant leader in helping ordinary people do extraordinary things.
