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Networking (the
people kind) has been my passion for years. I believe you must
constantly keep in mind those people to whom you can refer others – in
order to receive the benefits of networking you must first be willing to
give. One of the highest compliments to receive is to be viewed as a
resource - a source of help and hope for many other people. Fifteen
years ago I started a consulting business and called it The Haggerty
Group, after myself, of course. Two years ago, I realized that name
identification was not what was important, what I did was. Positive
Connections was born. Today Positive Connections focuses on connecting
organizations and individuals through positive strategies in
communication, human resources and technology. For years my
greatest joy has been introducing people to one another and watching a
positive connection occur - seeing my friends become friends, seeing
clients finding better employees or a new vendor or business partner. As a member of the National Speakers Association, my favorite
job at our workshops and conventions has been to get people involved in
the organization by hosting a breakout session. This assignment allows
them to meet lots of other speakers they might not have had the
opportunity to meet otherwise. I love getting people on the periphery
involved in the organization. NSA is a type of home for me and just as I
like my friends to be friends, I want my fellow speakers to feel at home
at NSA. Showing people the ropes, giving folks directions to the meeting
rooms, talking to pals about what's going on in their lives - connecting
everyone in a positive fashion to what or who they needed. My Dad never
knew a stranger - they were only friends he had not yet met. This philosophy has permeated my life as well. My husband
tells people I'll talk to anybody. That's true - you never know when
that taxi driver or store employee or neighbor or person at a sports
event/concert/dinner is going to turn out to have valuable information
for you - or need valuable information from you. And giving, being of
service, is a reward in itself. I've lived this philosophy for years - I
never dreamed what an impact it would have on my life. Last December
13th, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In a very short period of
time, the course of treatment was determined and I started down the path
that entirely too many women face. One out of eight women will have
breast cancer during their lifetimes. 75% of those cases are in women
over 50. Breast cancer is curable if it's discovered in the early
stages. My strongest emotion through the whole process has been anger -
anger that cancer still attacks so many women. Anger that cancer affects
one in three people. Anger that every three minutes another man is being
told he has prostate or colon cancer. With the resources available to
us, cancer should have been eradicated by now. Knowledge is power and I
determined that I would journal the process I was going through - with
the intent to share it at the end of the journey. I had a
modified radical mastectomy January 31st. Another complication led to
the need for a hysterectomy as well. And, of course, there's the
chemotherapy that's required to insure as best as possible that no stray
cancer cells remain. My attitude throughout has been positive - it was
something to get through and then to get on with life. I let a few close
friends know - I truly believe in the power of prayer and positive
thoughts - and then proceeded to "update" them at various
points in my journey via email. I told them about all the tests I was
going through, how they felt, what they involved. I painted verbal
pictures of the waiting rooms and processes. To my great
surprise, one friend told a mutual friend who then scolded me, "We
want to know when you're going through bad times as well as the good -
that's what friends are for!" My email list expanded. Then friends
told my story to our National Speakers Association prayer chain, another
mentioned me to a Writers' Newsletter I subscribe to, a group I speak
with put the prayer request out to their entire email list. Over the
period of just a couple of months I have received hundreds of emails -
many from people I do not know, but whose lives have been touched by my
story in the "updates." "Thank you
for sharing this. My mother is going through breast cancer so I've
forwarded your updates to her - she's much encouraged." "Thanks
for your candor and explanations. I have three other friends who are
going or who have gone through this and I know so little. You've helped
to educate me and to demystify the process." "I'm so
encouraged by your faith and positive attitude - you've given me hope
that I can get through the problems I'm having in my life right
now." "We love you and we're praying for you!" I have
received, in prayers, encouragement, positive thoughts, advice, other
stories much, much more than the time I'd given in making the
connections for or with these people. I am humbled and awed by the
return on the investment of caring for people enough to connect them to
each other. I am overjoyed to be the recipient of such Positive
Connections. Maybe I'm an
exception, but I hope not. This has all been a reminder of how important
people and relationships are in our lives. Our businesses, successes,
riches, fame - all are nice, but nothing takes the place of people! Make
the time right now, to think of those people that you know to whom you
can connect others. Take the time to make that phone call, write that
note, send that email. You may never know how much impact your actions
will have, but on the other hand, someday you, too, may receive the
overflowing of love and affection that has been my privilege these past
months. In the end result, the only things that truly matter in life are
the connections we make, that is, the relationships we establish with
other people. If we can all make positive connections, we will
positively impact our surroundings, our companies, our countries and our
lives! |
