Exploring the intersection between digital connection, community strategy, local communities, belonging, permaculture principles, sustainability, and psychology. My work analyses the systems that prop up our current networking practices and looks at practical steps we can unlearn to build stronger networks that serve both people and the planet.
Thoughtful and magical questions
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Here are 3 ideas to help you cultivate more connection in your life this week 👇 1️⃣ Practice Magic I don’t mean the tricks; I mean practising, crafting, and developing an understanding of magical questions. I am a fan of Priya Parker's work and her book The Art of Gathering, and she’s recently been talking about Magical Questions. A magical question helps a group meaningfully connect. It asks a relevant question that everyone can answer, and one that everyone is interested in hearing other people answer. Check out her video series about these on Instagram and LinkedIn. I’ve been thinking deeply about magical questions ever since, why they are fun, and how sometimes dividing opinion can help a group more meaningfully connect. It's food for thought - check out her recent videos here. 2️⃣ Asking Other Questions I truly believe questions are the key to connection. In networking situations, one question I’ve found to work well: How can I support you? OR How can I support your business? This immediately gets to the point about what people need and why they are seeking connection. Whether it's new clients, referrals, recommendations for suppliers, or the support your own business can offer, this question really helps people articulate their current goals. 3️⃣ Know Your Own Answer Consider if someone asked you the question “How can I support you?” - what would be your answer? People find answering this much easier than asking it. The answer will change as your goals change, but can you truly answer this question if you were asked it today? What’s one thing that would help take a positive step forward? Know what that is and how to articulate it. You’ll get much more out of your networking efforts if you know the answer to this question. Can you answer the question how can I support you? Please let me know if you're enjoying this series. It's been fun putting it together. You can leave a comment online, and view previous editions here. See you next week, Anna |
Networking: A New Manifesto
Exploring the intersection between digital connection, community strategy, local communities, belonging, permaculture principles, sustainability, and psychology. My work analyses the systems that prop up our current networking practices and looks at practical steps we can unlearn to build stronger networks that serve both people and the planet.
Here are 3 ideas to help you cultivate more connection in your life this week 👇 1️⃣ Selling services on social media If there is one trend I’ve seen growing over the past few years, it's the reluctance of people to buy from service-based businesses solely based on social media. While products on social media still seem appealing, service-based businesses need to look beyond socials. Relationships, and that means networking, are key. A post might generate likes and engagement, but ask...
3 Ideas to Help You Cultivate More Connection This Week 👇 1️⃣ Champion the Authors You KnowBooks have been on my mind this week, specifically books by people I know. After almost 8 years creating content on LinkedIn, I've had the pleasure of getting to know several authors. I also co-authored a self-published book nearly five years ago, so I understand the work, love, and sometimes pain that goes into writing. One lesson I learned from my co-author Nicole Johnston (who sadly passed away last...
✨ Here are three new ideas to help you cultivate more connection in your life this week ✨ 1️⃣ Stop "Networking" – Start Community BuildingIf the word "networking" makes your skin crawl, you're not alone. The term has become loaded with expectations of forced small talk and transactional relationships. Here's the thing: you can drop it entirely. Not the activities, drop the word.Instead, think of it as community building. This reframe will help you approach it differently. Community building...