I play a lot of jenga

Remember this game? It always seemed so simple right? All you had to do was take one block out, stack it, then keep moving right?

But what happened if you pulled the wrong block?

This.

I realized while talking to one of my good actress friends last night, that networking is all about the same idea.

Confused?

Ok. So imagine you start out in the business and you meet someone who is slightly higher up on the scale from you. You go to a party with that person and meet three other people of that caliber. Those people introduce you to some others and on and on it goes. Most of the time, like the blocks, they stay where they are for a a while and you also stay where you are for a while.

Then you move.

Just like taking a piece out and stacking it, you have all of those people supporting your move up. Connect with the wrong one or damage a relationship with one of your foundation people, and your tower falls. Choose the right person and keep your supports strong and you keep climbing.

Get it?

Like I said, I play a lot of Jenga and here's what helps keep my tower from falling:

1. I never pull out an outside supporting block: The people who I first met, I do my best to keep those connections warm and I always let them know I appreciate them.

2. I pull the block out that is the most free and has the most support around it: I spend a lot of time developing relationships before I ask for things. It's the same thing as always pulling that middle block when you have six or seven others supporting you.

3. I look at the tower and identify the weak parts: I always pay attention to who in my network is in need and when, then do everything I can to help and support them.

After all, I know that I'm also a block in their tower.

Now do I screw up sometimes?

Of course.

But if the tower falls, there's really only one thing to do next:

Get started building it again.

So look at the blocks in your community and start playing some Jenga.

You never know how high your tower may get.

Excelsior!

Comments

[Michael]

I LOVE this metaphor Michael.
Relationship building is often a difficult thing, because everyone has an agenda. Sometimes I feel like I need to speak louder than others (metaphorically speaking)and the greasy wheel, etc......
However sometimes, more times than not actually, it's about how you support and help others FIRST that establishes those relationships more than anything else.
We forget that - and we can't afford to!
Over time, you learn who you can truly depend on (the mutually supportive), who the users are, and who will be in your sphere for a very long time. But it takes listening from the heart too, not just with your ears!
In health and well-being, my friend !

[Tom Atkins]

Interesting use of Jenga! But I think people must be careful that they are being honest with this -as Michael says, listening from the heart is important. I'm not a fan of people who build their networks to suit them - they become very obvious, very quickly. It's chance, give and take, care, attention, knowledge, warmth and heart which contributes to full and rewarding personal and professional relationships. Not sure you get much of that in a game of Jenga.