What Does Potty Training Have to do With Good Networking?
I was thinking about my potty training woes (mostly I can’t find the underwear we currently have in the house so can’t do it right now) and my phone rang. I answered, of course, and it was a business contact that was calling to check in and catch up.
She has kids. I know she has kids. So I ask, “How old were your kids, really, when they were potty trained?” There was a pause and she said, “The public story is they were potty trained at 2 years old.” I was shocked, because you’d have to be stupid not to pick up on the part where she says “public story.” I said, “My kids are 2 and 3 and have no interest…is it me?”
Her response was, “No, my kids were actually 4 and a week before kindergarten started. You just don’t tell that to other people because everyone says it should be done by 2. Everyone is basically lying.”
Part of me thinks this is phenomenal, because now I know I’m not a freak and it’s not a big deal my girls want nothing to do with the bathroom (other than the bath) and I don’t have to force them to potty-train next week in order for them to be normal.
The more important part of the story is that I just bonded with my business contact in a real, solid way. She told me a secret. Not a life changing, get therapy secret, but one that she felt comfortable sharing with me.
What does this say about our relationship from a networking standpoint?
- She felt comfortable enough to share a secret with me.
- She cared about my feelings and gave me comfort for my situation.
- She trusts me with her secret.
Whenever you’re looking to have a relationship with someone that may give you work, or refer work your way the essential things you need from that relationship are to be memorable, trustworthy, and make the referrer want to give you business.
I nailed all three with one phone call. You can too. The topic doesn’t need to be toddlers or potty training. The secret shouldn’t be something that is life altering or very traumatic. What can you share about yourself that will make others feel they really care about you?
Image Source: trohaa via sxc.hu
Tags: bonding, emotional connection, sharing storiesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Networking Tips, Social Networking
0 opinions for What Does Potty Training Have to do With Good Networking?
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: