I think it’s fair to say that for a lot of people the COVID period has been a pretty insular time. Working from home, schooling from home, a hell of a lot of Zoom and almost no events. Well not the ‘in real life’ kind anyway. And let’s face it, a virtual webinar is not quite the same as grabbing a glass of wine and having a good old chit chat.
It’s got us thinking a lot about connection – how critical it is to humans both biologically and psychologically. And how there’s a lot to be said for making disciplined, conscious steps for connection to occur.
Human connections create growth and momentum, they help reveal opportunities that may not have been ‘in the plan’. One conversation can take an idea from seeming improbable, to ’wow, this just might work’. Magic moments right?
“A simple hello could lead to a million things.” ― Unknown
SERENDIPITY
We used to go to a smorgasbord of events, always out meeting an interesting melting pot of individuals. It is such a great way to connect – there’s something wonderful about the universe conspiring to bring you what may seem to be the most random person, who also turns out to be kind of perfect, at just the right moment. Whilst events are far from over, there are other ways to bring connection into our world.
THE POWER OF THE COFFEE DATE
People have become insanely scheduled, obsessed with productivity and always trying to get more, from less. The beauty of the coffee date is that it is the antidote to all of that, a small block of time to sit, breath, and chat. It’s a place that magic happens, even more so if you don’t try and predetermine what that magic actually is.
If you make a pledge right now to have 2 weekly coffee dates, that’s around 100 connections in a year. Stop for a second and imagine the exponential impact from that…
And, how many times have you had a coffee with someone and they have said ‘Oh, you have to meet such and such’? Boom you have your next coffee date sorted too.
4 TYPES OF PEOPLE TO CAFFEINATE WITH
- Potential partnership. If you have synergies with a business, you just know that you gel, grab a coffee and see where it might lead. You don’t need to have all the answers to reach out to someone, there are so many ways you may be able to collaborate.
- Outside your comfort zone. It’s good to push yourself sometimes, you never know who will say yes! Maybe it’s someone you admire that you’d love to learn from, maybe it’s someone with a big audience you think is out of reach. You never know until you try and don’t be disheartened – it’s a numbers game. Stretching yourself here will absolutely grow your business faster than if you stay in your comfy zone.
- Team members / peers. Staying connected to your team is essential, the key here is to making sure sometimes it’s not just project or task based. Take the time to talk about the bigger picture and also to really find out how they are on a personal level. You will always get some actionable insights from these conversations.
- Clients. Catching up with clients beyond delivering your product or service shows that you care – time is the #1 currency these days. And on top of that it’s the perfect opportunity to get feedback you can use to improve your business. Even something small, when compounded across other small pieces of feedback, are the difference between a good experience, and an amazing one.
That’s enough from us, seems you might have some planning to do. Keen for a coffee date? Just reach out.
Love,
Jodie + Em xx
