The Power of Networking

You never know who or what connection will lead to something bigger. In fact, it was a recommendation from someone in my network that lead to joining Meeting Professionals International over two years ago.

I met Monique Rochard-Marine through a travel RFP opportunity.  She encouraged me to join MPI and become involved with the local Minnesota chapter. I took her up on it, and then took it one step further.  Even though it can feel intimidating to walk into a room of strangers, one of the best ways to meet people is to volunteer for an organization. It gives you a platform and a purpose to connect with members on a deeper level. And it’s when I joined the Marketing Communication committee that I got to know Monique as a friend as well as a colleague.

Monique is a Senior Manager working in Strategic Meetings Management & Event Operations at Cardiovascular Systems. We compared notes about interesting events and vendors that we learned about through MPI. And we connected even more about non-business-related topics like our families and favorite vacations.  Monique and I bonded over our work and personal lives, gradually letting our authentic selves shine through.

When Monique found her annual incentive program suddenly moved from a national venue to a global one, she found herself short-staffed and without an incentive partner.  I could feel her pain as she talked about the issues she was facing.  As a colleague and a friend, I invited Monique to my office to meet our team and see if we had the right solutions to help her out.  The biggest hurdle was the quick turnaround necessary. We had literally 8 months to source and build a program overseas. Luckily, the pieces fell into place. Within a month, Monique and I were off to Italy for a site visit for her incentive program. 

It doesn’t always turn out like this when you meet someone new.  It doesn’t always lead to a new business partnership.  But it can lead to new friends and new acquaintances.  Networking is more than collecting business cards or LinkedIn contacts.  It’s being able to truly connect with people on multiple levels, finding common interests and mutual solutions. Meeting Monique was fortuitous for both of us; I could leverage my network to line up the right resources for her, and she could pull off a global event with a shortened timeline.

But if I had to pick out the most important factor in our collaboration, I think our ability to be authentic with one another was the key to success.  Being true to yourself, and honest with others, allows them to see your authenticity.  Authenticity leads to trust, and trust is very important in this business.  Trust and transparency with friends, clients and people you meet is imperative to building meaningful relationships.

MPI has allowed me to build more meaningful relationships within my network. All around you are like minded people interested in learning what’s new and coming up in the meeting industry.

Use this to your advantage. Go meet some new friends! You never know what it could lead to.