The Great Wedding Guest Quest
My sister-in-law had already given me a strategic edge in the Great Wedding Guest Quest. My nephew was getting married. Our quest was to search through a long table of Legos and assemble the perfect LEGO representation of ourselves to be placed in a shadowbox for the bride and groom. The thing about LEGO people is that, to build what you want, you need the right connector.
Here’s where most medical professionals have room to grow regarding influence..
They think it is about having more contacts.
Real influence is about becoming a connector..
During my career, I’ve learned that the most valuable people aren’t the ones with the largest social followings or list of contacts; They’re the ones everyone calls when they need a solution to a problem.
The shift?
From quantity to strategic positioning..
Here's how I approach relationship building now.
First, become a connector.
Build a new habit of strategic introductions, so that you become better at recognizing the gifts the people you introduce to each other bring to a relationship.
Next, find a way to provide value to each person you meet.
This might be an introduction to someone within your sphere of influence, a new idea they might enjoy entertaining or something fun you both have in common. Share insights, opportunities, and resources without expecting anything in return.
The returns come, just not always from where you plant the seeds.
Next, commit to a regular schedule to maintain your relationships.
If it is a stressful year in your life, it might only be a holiday card. Yet with the help of generative AI, you can streamline the repetitive parts of keeping in touch with others and focus on how you are nurturing your connections..
Finally, remember that the most robust spheres of influence expand.
They don’t stop at one’s specialty, industry, or culture.
Your next breakthrough connection might not be another physician.
That’s what happened at the Great Wedding Guest Quest. Even though my sister-in-law supplied me with almost everything I needed to express both my radiologist side and my love of the ocean, I didn’t have the right connector to wear the fins. While we were each focused on building our own little Lego person, it was natural to notice what connector the guest next to you needed, to have a conversation, and to connect them with the missing pieces they needed.. I was so happy when someone I just met handed me the connector I needed to make it all work.
That's not luck. That's strategic relationship cultivation. My sister-in-law is a genius.
Your sphere of influence isn't just about who you know.
It's about who knows what unique problems you can solve and how you act as a connector.
What two people in your sphere of influence would benefit by you building the bridge and connecting them?
