Got people?
A tax service recently ran an ad that said you should choose them so you’d “have people.” The idea was that if you “had people,” instead of just software you’d rest easier at night.
I thought about that as I read a column by Lee E. Miller in the Newark Star-Ledger. It was titled: “Connections, advice can give you a boost.” Here’s a key excerpt.
“Technology is no substitute for spending time with people Technology plays a critical role in today’s workplace, and recent graduates are generally comfortable using that technology. However, technology is no substitute for face-to face interactions with others in the organization.”
Where Miller is wrong is that for many people it’s not technology or people. It’s technology and people. Take my late father as an example.
Dad resisted email until it dawned on him that it was a great way to stay in touch with his grandchildren. Then he discovered it was great way to stay in touch with his old friends from college.
Technology for dad and many others is a way to enrich and expand relationships. That’s especially true for the generations raised with email, text messaging and social network sites as part of the landscape.
The really important issue is who you’re connecting with, not how. Connecting with the right people will help you with support and feedback.
Everybody needs support. Who’s in your support network? They should be people who love you no matter what. They’re the people who help you get through life.
You also need support from people in your working world. This is a place where you want to “dig the well before you’re thirsty.”
Your work support group will be made up of people that you’ve helped and supported. The way to build a rich one is to start helping others.
You need good feedback. Feedback is the breakfast of champions. Identify people who can give you good feedback. They need to be knowledgeable. And they need to be people that you’ll listen to.
Connecting to other people is one key to career and life success. Seek out connections that will give the support and feedback you need to succeed. Use technology to enrich and extend your network of relationships.
