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Do you ever encounter another
person who just seems to know everybody? (As
you read this, each of you is probably thinking
of a name and a face right now!) It’s
not that all the people they know are clients
of theirs, or even their best friend for that
matter. Yet they have an uncanny knack for making
acquaintances and forming connections with people
they meet.
This happens to be the skill
of Reagan Rodriguez. Reagan
is CEO and Managing Partner of Rodriguez
& Swanson, LLC, brokers in
dental and medical practices nationwide and
based in Columbus, Ohio. As managing partner,
Reagan is always prospecting for potential buyers
of medical practices—be them investors,
practitioners, or both.
This means that like many
people in business, Reagan has a pretty clear
“profile” of his prospect. He is
a natural networker—indeed if some of
us are wall flowers at public events, Reagan
can often been seen as a social butterfly. He
attracts people and engages them on a sincere
level. Many people attempt to do so with superficial
small talk. Yet like most natural networkers,
Reagan is a skilled listener with a strong desire
to connect and understand.
“Connecting with other
people has always come quite naturally for me,”
Reagan says. “I enjoy conversation and
meeting people, and also helping others do the
same.” What he means by this point is
that if you are engaged with Reagan in conversation,
don’t be surprised if he mentions the
names of other people whom you might like to
meet.
“I’ll be at an
event and talking with someone who is in the
printing business, for example. As they tell
me about their specialty, it may occur to me
that they might do well to speak with someone
I had just met twenty minutes earlier,”
Reagan explains. “For me, it’s gratifying
to introduce two people who may be able to work
together, yet otherwise may have never met.”
What can we learn from this
attitude? Often, we approach networking from
a “me” perspective…how can
I meet more people? How can I connect with others?
How about becoming, in the Malcolm Gladwell
tradition, a Connector?
You know we have said that
the biggest mistake people make when it comes
to referrals and introductions is not asking
for them. Perhaps the first step to making the
ask is through our own example. It’s not
about how can this person help me; it’s
about how can I help them? You can help others
not just through your own direct skills and
profession, but through the other people you
know. Your network is your asset—and this
is a priceless approach to leverage that asset
for your benefit and for theirs.
Who knows where some
relationships will lead? You might just have
someone name their first born after you.
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