Invite who invited you somewhere.
I know you’re confused. That’s a weird opening statement. But how did you end up where you ended up?
Maybe it was a local business owners meeting? A Chamber of Commerce meeting? A church service? A networking opportunity? You often end up somewhere because someone invited you. Yes, there are places you go without being asked, but for this lesson, I want to put ourselves in the mindset of being invited.
Moving forward for this lesson, let’s keep in mind that we are at that place because someone invited us there. Whether you have to put yourself at a business meeting, or a Chamber meeting, or anywhere else, put yourself in the mindset of being invited.
Ok, now that you’re in that headspace; someone invited you there, now invite them somewhere.
What do I mean?
Every opportunity we have to go somewhere is because someone invited us. Yes, you’ll find random events on social media or online, but often we end up places because someone invited us.
Why did they invite you?
They invited you because they value your presence there. They know what you bring to the table and they want you to be present.
You should be honored that they invited you! Just don’t let it go to your head. When someone desires our presence somewhere and they know what we bring to the table, it can be easy to assume that our presence makes or breaks the day. Well, while you should be honored you were invited, let’s stay humble.
Often the person that invited you may be the one leading the event. Strong leaders that put on events know how to get the right people there. They know how to get the right people to the table. I love being around leaders that know exactly WHO to put at the table and WHEN. It’s truly the sign of a great leader. Great leaders and great networkers have an expansive contacts list. Even though they have a vast list of contacts, the know who to invite to what table. They don’t just call fifty people hoping to fill a twenty person conference room table. Rather, they are very pointed and accurate with who they invite and who they put at the table.
Great leaders and great networkers often even take less people if it’s the right people.
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If you’re somewhere where you were invited, you’re part of the right people group. It’s a big deal that you’re there. I love when people invite me somewhere because they know what I bring to the table. This isn’t arrogance talking, it’s excitement! It’s exciting to think about what you could possibly contribute to a meeting or an event!
Think about a dinner party with a group of girls, or a group of guys going out to catch a game. Who do you invite? Do you invite the person that geographically lives closest to you? Or you invite the person that has the best outfits? No, you invite the ones that you enjoy being around the most. You enjoy their friendship, their company, and what they bring to the table. A large event with networking opportunities are no different. Someone invited you because they enjoy your friendship, your company, and what you bring to the table!
Now that we’ve established that you’re there for a reason, let’s talk about the topic at hand, invite who invited you somewhere. Aka: RETURN THE INVITE
When someone invites you somewhere, they’re a leader. Leaders step up and invite. Now, it’s your turn to return the invite. When you’re invited somewhere, and the leader has brought you in to the room, it’s now your turn to find a room you can invite them to.
What do you lead that you could invite someone’s voice in to? What meetings do you control that you can bring someone to? What team do you lead that you can invite them to speak in to? Great leaders love the opportunity to speak in to other teams.
It’s a sign of a great networker when you can say, “You invited me to that meeting and I really enjoyed it. Would you come speak in to my team?”
Open doors for others that they could not open for themselves.
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Find opportunities that you can bring other’s voices in to. If you lead a team, they may speak into your team better (or in a different way) than even you can! We’ve all felt at times that crazy Uncle Steve makes more sense than our dad. But does he? Not really, he just says the same thing a little differently. Embrace what another person could say to your team.
When you show a great leader that you want them to speak in to something you lead, you’ve begun to become a great networker. When you show up to an event, you meet some new people, and you return the invite, you’re becoming the great networker that you desire to be! It doesn’t have to be a large event that maybe you attended, maybe it’s just a weekly staff meeting that you can bring in an outside voice. It doesn’t have to be grandiose to make a big impact.
Find an opportunity to invite someone who invited you.
Let’s continue to grow our network authentically and add value to people.
David Urzi 