My friend, Al Martella- Executive Coach to the Stars who coached and mentored thousands of financial advisors at Merrill Lynch is my guest ‘nugget provider’ this week. Read the pearls of wisdom of how Al applies and grows his network with the people he meets every day.
“In my professional career, I am so grateful for having the opportunity to meet and network with so many fine individuals. One thing has always baffled me. I have observed that that many people choose not to learn the names of a group of an important population – the people that they meet each day.
An example – do you know the name of the attendant at the front desk who greets you every day? I have had many colleagues respond to me curtly – “no, why should I bother!” Well, there are many reasons to introduce yourself and get to know their name:
- It will make your life and their life more pleasant. It is basic respect and courtesy.
- When you have a potential client coming to the building, and you have been nice to them, there is a chance they will be nice to your potential client.
- They too have a network! You never know if a connection can be made.
An example – Our lobby greeter, Mike , was a quiet man in his 40s. I introduced myself to him shortly after he began in the position. Overtime I came to learn that his parents were long involved in the local college. Retirement was on their minds. It became an opportunity for me to make a referral to a trustworthy advisor. It cemented my connection with Bill and added a new relationship to our firm.
It’s easy to welcome that new intern you’ve been passing by for the last few weeks. You never know who or what that intern may be able to teach you about technology and more effective ways of reaching out to a younger generation. A simple “hello” might lead you to a new generation of clients.
Andrea always says that great networkers “Consistently nurture relationships -daily– always thinking of how they can help and reach out to someone in their universal network.”
Shouldn’t the people we meet every day be part of your “universal network?”
For many years, I rode a bus to work. Many mornings, I shared the ride with a distinguished man who was constantly late for the bus. In conversation, I found out he was a professor at nearby Princeton University. After a few more conversations, I found out that this professor was a theoretical physicist who was part of the Manhattan Project who had influenced a generation of physicist wouldn’t want a physicist in their network!
Get to know the people you meet every day. You can only imagine where the conversations take you!
A big Thanks to my good friend, “Al Martella– You are someone I learn from daily!”