2 Problems Solved with 1 Connection

I love matchmaking or should I say connecting people if we are talking in business mode. I love it when 2+2 = 1004! I just love being the + in the middle.

Why, because it's great to help people solve problems and in general making a connection solves a problem for both parties. I'm happy when it works: it doesn't always but most of the time it does.

I had one such "good result" last week. My daughter’s friend had completed her degree and was working on an internship which was prematurely coming to an end. I had a text from Becky (my daughter) asking if I could help. Did I know anyone who might be able to give her friend a job, apprenticeship or an internship?

By coincidence I also had a client who was looking for a first jobber to train into a specific role so that he could expand his business. And this boss was also a great teacher too.

A couple of phone calls to each of them and a "connecting you both" e-mail was all that I needed to do. I then stepped away to let business take its course. And it did. My client now has a great new employee whom he can teach, grow and who will also quickly become a fee earner for his business. Becky’s friend has now has a permanent job, she feels valued and she's keen to learn and to please her new boss.

What did it cost me? A little time and thought plus just a couple of phone calls and e-mails. What did I earn? Nothing, zilch, nada, zero pounds and no dollars either. But what I did receive was a great sense of well-being; that lovely warm feeling when you help people and it works! Bob Burg would be proud of me! Here is A Quick and Really Fun Overview of The Go-Giver | Bob Burg that explains all about the laws in the Go-Giver.

100% satisfaction for all three of us, and in my book that's a fantastic result.

Update 2 August 2013:

I sent this blog post to Bob Burg and asked him for some comments and feedback and he was generous enough to help. Here are his comments - in there entirety - which add considerable value and clarity to my original post. His insight is great and really drives home the point about providing value for others. My big thanks to Bob.

My only concern (and this is just a personal thing so feel free to ignore it) with the paragraph that begins with "What did it cost me?" is that a big emphasis was put on not earning money. Of course, what you did was perfect in terms of being a connector like in the book, but it almost put the "emphasis"of the message on not earning money. I think it would have worked really well to have made the point in a way like: "While the payoff to me was not financial, it was immense in terms of that lovely warm feeling when you help people and it works out for both of them."

That way, it doesn't seem as though you're not saying that money isn't important, but that the focus is on providing value to others regardless of whether it happens to result in a financial gain.

Again, this is simply coming from my paradigm because I so often see people interpreting the message of The Go-Giver as being anti-money or not caring about earning money (which, of course, is not true - it's about earning money based on focusing on providing value to others. None of the mentors in the story were financially poor; they were successful in all the important areas of their lives including financial. So, when I see even a really kind comment or reference to the book after money is downplayed I tend to worry that readers not familiar with the story will take that as the main message. 

Excellent article though. Fantastic!!

To read Bob's words first hand, why not treat yourself to his book The Go-Giver

So, what can you do for your connections today, now?