How to make networking more meaningful | Toussaint Mitchell | TEDxSIUC

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we as human beings are biologically wired for social connectivity we are social creatures by nature in our society who we choose to connect with is instrumental in designing the life we desire and can take us places we never expected you see I graduated from this University with a degree in cinema and photography today I work in our United States Senate during my time here I never saw this in my future in fact I didn't care too much for politics but I've always enjoy talking to people for those of you who know me you know I can talk entirely too much sometimes but that would turn out to be a good thing you see my desire to connect with people would open doors that I once believed to be locked and I surrounded myself with individuals who saw potential in me that I had even yet to discover as an underclassman I was encouraged to join Siu's undergraduate student government and from there I was swarmed with personalities that have enriched my life and continue to do so today 3 years later I was introduced to a staffer working for Senator tamy Duckworth of binois and once again I was encouraged to pursue an opportunity that would lead me to intern in her Washington DC office I spent 3 months working there before being sent home due to covid-19 and there I was thinking how the start of my new life and my new career would be coming to an end but the short time I did spend in DC it equipped me with skills and connections that I would use to build what I did not realize at the time to be the blueprint for my success and with this new understanding and systems that I implemented for myself I would return to Washington DC and pursue opportunities in the House of Representatives with speaker em Moretta Nancy Pelosi and now with our United States Senate every opportunity that I encountered came from the connections that counted and today I will show you how networking can transform your life and how you can be more intentional with your relationships so what exactly is networking Tracy Lambert Griggs with encyclopedia bonica defines networking as the development maintenance or use of social or professional contacts to exchange information resources or Services networking does not have to be so transactional in fact it shouldn't we as human beings are biologically wired for social connectivity our brains have adapted to expect proximity to others and this is stated by the US surgeon general's advisory on the healing effects of social connection and Community their 2023 report on our epidemic of loneliness and isolation highlights how social connection goes far beyond quantity it is about the quality of our relationships and how that affects us with this in mind we can now consider how our relationships benefit us on a daily basis I want you to take a moment and think of a time when you applied for a job and you had no connections or referral now think of another time when you applied for a job and you had someone who could refer you you had a direct connection comparing these outcomes in mind which scenario served in your favor a recent Global survey by LinkedIn titled networking your way into your next job opportunities unveils that nearly 80% of professionals deem networking crucial for Career Success and astonishingly 70% of people in 2016 secured employment through their connections I do believe that there are straightforward networking methods and this evidence proves that if done correctly it can lead lead to more opportunities I can speak from my personal experiences when I share with you that every opportunity that I encountered in our nation's capital came from the help of someone that I knew for instance in Congress we have what are known as Congressional staff associations equivalent to your student organizations at your University these staff associations aim to help Congressional staffers advance in their careers the Congressional Black Associates was the first organization that I encountered and almost as if I had planned it I was once again surrounded by people and opportunities that contributed to my success thus far they say everything happens for a reason right well eventually I ran for president for this organization and after my unfortunate but necessary loss the door meant for me to enter opened when a few of my now mentors and advisers approached me to run an organization called black men on the hill a networking group that provides resources and connections to help black men advance in their careers develop professionally and Foster meaningful relationships how ironic is that never underestimate the relationships you established because you never know what they could lead to as we've discovered this intricate dance of relationships is more than just about numbers it is about the profound impact that they have on our lives and the opportunities that that may arise from that but that being said there are systems that I believe can be put in place to help with those relationships systems that we can use to better manage and prioritize our relationships in the book Atomic habits James Clear has this enlightening quote you do not rise to the level of your goals you fall to the level of your systems I encourage everyone to find a system that works for you and be open and bold to altering where completely discarding and starting over until you find a system that works for you now some of you may overlook this and think it's irrelevant you meet someone you can just put them in your phone and whenever they cross your mind you can reach out to them that's your system and that's what works for you but for others who need more structure in their lives like myself I will share with you some systems that I've implemented in my life to to to better prioritize my different relationships in the grand Symphony of your professional journey I want you to picture your professional Endeavors as a business and your professional networks as your board of directors your board of directors these are not just mere connections no these are individuals who possess the power to elevate you to unprecedented Heights anyone can be considered part of your Professional Network or your board of directors depending on the intention of the relationship and while I do not like to limit the talent of my board of directors I am considerate of three crucial roles that I find to be significant in one's professional development the mentor the sponsor and the coach the mentor is the wise Sage who engages in meaningful conversation about your career goals and aspirations drawing from their own experiences mentors offer invaluable guidance and support with a generous dose of encouragement now enter the sponsor think of them as your strategic Ally who speaks on your behalf when you're not in the room see unlike the mentor the sponsor is actively advocating for your support ensuring that opportunities are always coming your way and then there's the coach this motivator speaks to you directly as you strive to tackle a challenge or perfect a skill coaches are motivators who offer guidance to help you navigate the complexities of your journey now I want to introduce the idea of the dream team and this is a Visionary concept that I created for myself the dream team is comprised of individuals who are actively ad ating for your support by working on your behalf to bring your Visions to life these are the collaborators the Allies the true believers who help to bring your dreams into reality I want you all to take some time to consider who in your life plays the role of the mentor the sponsor and the coach and who in your life is actively advocating for your advancement we should be more considerate about the people we choose to surround oursel with because who we choose plays a role in how we develop our lives and determine our shared victories as we continue down this path of networking this journey of networking I want to dive deeper into some practical techniques that you can Implement into your life for more meaningful connections I know my introverts will hate this one but you should exercise your social muscles regularly in order to strengthen them in ways that you might not typically do so one of my greatest accomplishments at an earlier age in high school was doing this 30-day challenge where I would go out and put myself in uncomfortable social interactions and talk to strangers every day for 30 days think of it as like a New Year's resolution funny enough I never finished this challenge kind of like some of your New Year's resolutions but that didn't matter because I tried over and over and over again I was challenging myself to do something that I was not accustomed to and this would help to rid my fear of judgment or rejection as I uncovered new levels of social freedom and I gained deeper understanding of myself and my ability to connect with strangers on deep levels if you want to enhance your social life then start with simple acts like going out and conversing with the clerk at the store or making small talk with your neighbor or even just giving out genuine compliments think about the last time someone complimented you think about how that made you feel and now consider the impact that would have on others s we all want to feel good about ourselves and you all have the power to offer that to others if you want to expand your Professional Network then go into those social interactions with a goal in mind be intentional why are you talking to this person what can they do for you what value do you have to offer them eventually these small steps will become second nature and integrate themselves seamlessly into your social interactions on a day-to-day basis in today's Tech driven era where screens often mediate our connections the essence of natural face-to-face interaction is a rare and invaluable treasure demonstrating that power of these social interactions is revolutionary in a world that is now saturated with virtual exchanges we should carry this level of awareness forward recognizing that every face to-face encounter every social interaction is a testament to that genuine warmth of human connection these ideas that I've shared with you all today are just simple guides for Effective networking and relationship building and I hope that you all integrate these into your daily lives it's not about being the most extroverted person in the room it's about your authenticity your intentionality and how we share that with others the world deserves to know who you are my name is tucon Mitchell and I want to thank you all for accompanying me on this journey to discover the connections that count and I hope that you all go out into the world and you show the world that you exist and acknowledge the existence of others and may all your future connections and relationships be meaningful and authentic thank you
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Channel: TEDx Talks
Views: 2,664
Rating: undefined out of 5
Keywords: Business, English, Health, Politics, Self improvement, TEDxTalks, [TEDxEID:56667]
Id: 0-dyF4RciuU
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Length: 14min 50sec (890 seconds)
Published: Mon Apr 29 2024
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