by Mike McMullin
Building relationships is the key to a successful business and a successful personal life. In the business world, forming connections is a critical function of everyday life. That’s the reason there are so many local networking groups to select from. From the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, with almost 700 local business members, to smaller groups and associations, most municipalities in Carroll County have their own business groups where relationships are forged and strengthened. We are made for human connections. Real and lasting connections can only be made from face-to-face interactions, and not from social media or text messaging. You also need something deeper than the ability to regurgitate an elevator pitch in 30 seconds to form lasting relationships, as you need time to listen to others and, in turn, to be heard and seen for who you are.
“Networking” is defined as, “The action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.” As President of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce for the past 15 years, I must confess something that may surprise some of our members…I really don’t like the word “networking”. It conjures up images of people scrambling through a group and passing out business cards or brochures with the sole intent of gaining customers. I don’t believe that these types of connections plant deep roots, and long-lasting relationships need deep roots. From what I’ve observed in my time at the Chamber, long term relationships are what create truly successful businesses.
Now, I am not so narrow-minded as to suggest that the Chamber is the only place to build these types of lasting relationships. Whereas the Chamber is a great place to meet other local business professionals, there are smaller groups that can provide amazing results in your search for new contacts. Smaller, more intimate groups and gatherings allow you the time and space to spend quality time getting to know someone.
Understanding this, we offer smaller subsets of members in the Chamber, who can spend concentrated time really getting to know each other for extended periods of time. Our Leadership Carroll program takes 46 business professionals and corrals them for one full day per month for a year to share experiences that oftentimes leads to lifelong friendships. Our young professionals’ group, Launch Carroll, targets people in a select age group and gives them the opportunity to build relationships in person and not via social media. These are examples of connections that are made from more than a “networking” formula; they are made from face-to-face communication.
But there are other, smaller, groups we can participate in or create that can have lasting benefits in our life and business. These groups encourage us to get to know people on a more personal basis. They often have no real agenda other than to meet up, communicate with, and listen to others. We can create a group like this centered around a shared hobby or passion. For example, anyone who really knows me knows that I like cigars.
On the wall in my office is a picture of one of the most famous cigar enthusiasts of all time, and someone with whom I share the same birthday, Sir Winston Churchill. So, it wasn’t a stroke of brilliance for me to create a “Cigars with Mike” group that meets on a regular basis. We have a core group who meet every time, as well as people who are invited to join on occasion. The focus of this little group is to have fun, enjoy a cigar, and laugh about life. Friendships are forged in an organic way and connections come naturally. Building a business network was never the objective in creating this group, but it happens organically.
Other groups and clubs can produce the same types of relationships. Book clubs, travel clubs, church fellowship groups, bowling leagues, softball teams, pickleball clubs, hiking clubs, bird-watching clubs, and countless other groups, are all avenues to relationships and friendships that will make your life more meaningful and your business more vibrant.
One word of caution, however, is to not try and immerse yourself with too many “networking” groups, as you’ll be exhausted and, possibly, inauthentic. In the world of building relationships, quality should always be prioritized over quantity. Also, don’t fill every spare moment of your time with building relationships. Always prioritize some quiet time to cultivate your relationship with yourself in silence.