When we think about successful people the word money usually comes to mind. Often, I am asked how my degree will lead to a high paying job. Money is at the center of many persons intentions and ideas. While money is important, a key to a successful person is their connections.
Connections are people. Connections are opportunity. Connections are communication. Connections are understanding.
Jeff Haden wrote about this topic of connections and networking in his article “Why People Who Build Smaller Networks Are More Successful, Backed by Science.” In this article, Haden explores the importance of networking and distinguishes need to develop deep connections with different types of people. How such connections are made and maintained is critical to one’s success. For example, it’s relatively easy to make an acquaintance, but creating an ally takes much more finesse.
Haden explains “the more open your network,” the better. An open network is described as building “ties outside their specialty or field”. Surrounding yourself with people of similar experiences, jobs and knowledge will give you normalcy, or what you already know. While it remains essential to connect with like-minded person, it is being around and in conversation with people from different experiences and perspectives that help you become the best version of you. Without knowing people with differing points of view one limits the full person they can be. In other words, success depends upon knowing and understanding persons with different points of view.
Also, there is great importance in finessing connections, or “nurturing” the relationship. Knowing a person/knowing a connection requires listening, creating and being present in that relationship. Nurturing a connection takes time and effort. Sometimes nurturing a connection comes at a cost. The cost could be money or it could be time. Cost could also be the mental challenge that comes with truly being present for another person and to work to understand and value that person’s expressed and implied point of view.
In short, Haden’s article addresses a key to personal success is one’s building stronger and varied connections. Having the openness to understanding that persons live their life with a specific lens of experiences, and that those experiences form a point of view is critical. My challenge is being truly open to connections that have a different point of view, and finding the time and confidence to establish those connections. It is not easy to connect with persons that are unknown, and even harder to try to develop that valued connection with a new person. This is a challenge that I am working on through the people that I meet at Cornell, and this will be a personal challenge through my life.
Success is earned, not granted. Working toward success is a lifetime commitment that involves my personal investment, my actions, my commitment, and my openness to others.
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