This year I realised that I don't miss being with people (except you! Of course I miss YOU!) but I really miss being around people. While an inherently flawed statement - like all of us, I have experienced periods of deep loneliness during the pandemic - this realization sent me back to reflecting on my values and drivers, and considering the choices I make each day.
I live in Washington, DC, just off Capitol Hill. I chose to move here, in part, to recapture the life I had growing up in Hong Kong. I wanted to walk or take the bus rather than to drive; to experience the history and culture of my city in small bites; and to take neighborhood walks past great architecture and fascinating homes. I can still do many of those things, even in a pandemic. But I can't be around people at the moment. And I'm shocked by how much I miss it.
I am someone who talks to strangers. Whether saying "Hello!" to everyone I pass on the street, or commenting on a painting in a museum... apparently, I am chatty. No one was more surprised to learn this than me! People are so interesting and I am inherently curious. I miss the company of people with whom I have nothing more in common than being in the same place at the same time - we may not even know each other's names, but that brief exchange brought a smile for each of us.
I like going deep, and I am impatient with small talk. Getting intentional about relationship building has been immensely satisfying in the last year. I can count a number of new and highly-valued friends/colleagues with whom I have never spent time in person. The commonality in all of these is a shared set of values (not always a shared set of opinions) and a commitment to stay connected. So, don't get hung up on the losses - see the possibilities for connection and harvest that potential.
Best wishes,
Joanna Hoffschneider
Founder, Resolute Consulting LLC
The closer we are to someone the more likely we are to have the same information sources, to have aligned views, and to share the same market knowledge. Distant relationships break the echo chamber effect. Acquaintances can exponentially increase the data available to us, especially because acquaintances are more likely to share information intentionally rather than organically. Dunbar's number (remember that from our last edition?) expands with these outer circles.
We communicate differently with strangers - and it makes us happy! We can have surprisingly intimate and revealing conversations with people we've hardly met. We build community with people when we don't even know their names, and we get to try on different possible versions of ourselves, free from pre-conceptions and judgement.
So how do we do this in a time of primarily virtual contact?
Is your business network meeting your needs?
Are you getting time with the right people in the right ways? Are you bringing confidence and value when you connect with people? Are you maintaining relationships that are important to you?
If you feel overwhelmed or dissatisfied with your network, we've got tools for you. If you're a go-it-alone type, check out this network capture worksheet. Who's front of mind for you, and who are you overlooking? If you would like more structure and a supportive cohort, check out our live virtual course: Make Your Network Work.
Building on a workshop we developed last year, this course gives you time to work on your own analysis - to implement the concepts we discuss, not just to contemplate them. Through five 30-minute, live classes (on Zoom), worksheets, structured homework, and an understanding of your own accountability, you'll go from having "people you know" to a clearly understood business network and a plan to make it stronger.
Want to learn more? Click here. Full details, including a bonus for registration before March 1st.
Weekdays, March 18th - 24th, 12:15-12:45 pm EST. $300, with special pricing of $225 for newsletter subscribers.
“Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.”Alan Collins
tl;dr: March is busy and we're excited!
In the era of virtual training, we know there's a lot of free programming out there. So why do we charge?
©2021 Resolute Consulting LLC | www.resoluteconsulting.co I 301 873 9481
I'm finalizing this newsletter on Good Friday. For me, this is always a Complicated Feelings Day. As a Catholic in the Ignatian tradition, Good Friday is a highly significant day in the liturgical calendar and my faith life. Whatever our traditions and faiths, we all have Complicated Feelings Days in our calendar - anniversaries, beginnings and endings, traumatic events and poignant celebrations. Today, I offer you some tips on how to manage these within your work life, and an opportunity to...
2018 to 2024... it's been an amazing ride! I told my mum that Resolute turns 6 today. Her response? "Really? That's gone fast." I wholeheartedly agree! We have some important gratitude to share: For our clients. We literally would not exist without the people who hire us! For our allies and advocates. These people don't give us money, they give us something at least as precious - they trust us with their reputations, endorsing our work and building our reach. For our partners. Working with...
Resolute would not be a success without our clients, friends, and advocates. Many of our newsletter subscribers bring us into rooms we're not in, share opportunities and wisdom, and bring encouragement and joy. We are thankful for you. This time of year invites both introspection and gratitude. It also holds a tension between looking back and looking ahead, reflecting and projecting, learning and planning. In the spirit of the season, we are holding ten spaces for newsletter subscribers to...