Classmates to Colleagues: The Gift of Maintaining Relationships
Most networking coaches will tell you that networking is about maintaining relationships. If you are anything like me, the entire idea of networking feels gross. When first introduced to the concept, I was taught a quid pro quo version where you only sought out people who you deemed *important* and made nice with those who owed you a favor. It was measured and calculated like the inorganic digital space the word derives from. People seemed to be deemed valuable based only on self-interest while overlooking the presence and gifts others had to offer. Mind you, when someone gets locked out of the building, they don't call the CEO, they call the custodian. Their presence is an equivocal gift. Get to know the custodian. This value system has pushed many like myself to reframe networking with person-first language honoring relationships over transactions.
Jump to Merideth College in 2023. I had the joy of teaching a Masterclass to dance majors where in between polyrhythms, we practiced trying new things. The students were lively and ready to dive in with that curiosity and drive like those dedicating their time and careers to movement-you know-DANCERS. The invitation to teach the class came through a former classmate, now a professor, who reminded me of the gift of maintaining relationships.
It had been years since we shared sweat in the same studio, yet we continued to bump into each other at professional and social events. Rather than surmise what we might offer each other and make a calculated choice on engagement-we said hello. We caught up on life, random hobbies, and the quirks of the career. In this sharing and reminiscing of those once-shared floors did an overlap of interest and opportunities come to light.
This interaction reminded me that when you treat people like people and choose to say hello rather than avoid them, you are guaranteed at least one gift: the gift of a good laugh and time with a familiar face. A gift that reinforces human interaction over digital calculations, and it's here that opportunities get to be the by-product of the gift, not the focal point. In your reconnecting, remember to enjoy the first gift so that you can truly cherish the latter.