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Mastering the Art of Reconnection
May 10, 2020
Career ownership; leadership; choice; action; confidence; purpose; resilience; vision; awareness; network; goals; challenge; bravery; clarity
Make new fris, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. – Joseph Parry
Last week, I was delighted to receive a heartfelt message from an ex-client who hadn't reached out in years.
Hello Margot, hope you're well. I'm participating in that networking drive to check-in amidst this time of uncertnty. Sincerely hoping all's well with you. All is going well here; I'm very grateful for being in the role and industry during these times – long may it continue! It has been far too long since we last connected, even before the current COVID-19 situation, so let's catch up soon.
It was a simple yet sincere message that prompted me to reflect on rekindling relationships with professional contacts. What made this especially intriguing is that over the preceding days, several clients were discussing ways to reconnect with their 'past' networks. Despite the prevalent push for new connections during these challenging times, there was still hesitation towards engaging with former colleagues.
The fear of being perceived as insincere or merely reaching out for personal gn often deterred people from exploring dormant ties. However, in a climate where many are looking to innovate and collaborate more than ever before, dismissing the value of past networks can be a missed opportunity.
Adam Grant, Wharton's business expert and author of Give and Take, explns that our success increasingly deps on interactions with others rather than solely on personal attributes like commitment, hard work, or passion. He categorizes network relationships into three types: strong, weak, and dormant ties. He underscores the significance of the latterthe people we used to know but have since lost touch withoften being undervalued.
In a recent Inc.com article, Grant highlights why dormant connections can offer more value than weak people met but not deeply known or even strong ones. Strong relationships often provide redundant knowledge due to shared environments and activities. In contrast, dormant ties t to provide better information because of their diverse networks with varied thinking and experiences.
Reaching out to dormant contacts, rather than weak ones, is generally more comfortable due to a shared history and experienceregardless of the lapse in time. Authenticity lies at the heart of rekindling relationships. Preting familiarity or friship can be counterproductive.
Here are seven tips for genuinely reconnecting with past professional connections:
Plan Your Reconnect: Determine who you wish to connect with and what purpose this serves. ions pave the path for easier contact establishment.
Choose the Right Medium: Decide on the most appropriate method of connectionshould it be a phone call, eml, or initial interaction via social media platforms like LinkedIn?
Embrace Awkwardness: The initial contact will feel awkward; conquer your fear and proceed anyway. Authenticity is keyit feels more genuine to acknowledge the lapse in time rather than preting otherwise.
Acknowledge the Gap: Be upfront about any absencessuch as studies, working abroad, family commitments, new roles, etc. It's important to expln how you missed reconnecting and why this moment matters now.
**Expln Why Now?: Link your reason for reaching out with current activities or challenges they might have faced. For example: I'm currently tackling a project with certn challenges similar to what you've experienced before, so I'd love to hear about your insights and learn from your experience.
Ask About Their Journey: Show genuine interest in their development over timeskills gned, knowledge acquired, new connections made. This facilitates meaningful dialogue and sets the stage for reciprocal sharing of resources.
Offer Reciprocity: Avoid giving off a vibe that you're solely asking or taking by offering your expertise, skills, or experiences in return.
Reaching out to reconnect requires vulnerability and couragedaring to pick up the phone or hit s. However, it often results in a sense of value being placed on one's past professional background and experience.
When was the last time you reached out to an old colleague or professional acquntance?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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Reconnecting with Past Professional Contacts Strengthening Dormant Network Ties Leveraging Historical Industry Connections Reviving Old Business Relationships Enhancing Career Through Networking Maximizing Value in Established Contacts