The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships

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KNOW YOUR ASK: THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE OF GETTING WHAT YOU WANT

Abraham Lincoln famously said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the ax.” This concept of skilled preparation is true in building effective business relationships, too. Those first proverbial four hours are best spent cultivating the connection—building trusted allies. Then with an entourage of supporters who now share your vision and passion (a sharp ax, rather than dull), you are poised to accomplish your goal. In this scenario, the dull ax is the equivalent of a weak LinkedIn connection or a passing acquaintance you once traded business cards with at an event. With a dull blade like that, you might whack for six hours, only ...