“What you know has no value;
unless who you know is aware that you know something of value”… do you catch my drift! Or, “It’s not who you know, It’s who knows
you.” Or, “I know somebody that knows
somebody, who has those kinds of connections.” Can you feel me! Either way…you get the point...
Since the emergence of
the World Wide Web, computers, smart phones, tablets, new technologies,
satellite and social media, the way we connect with each other has changed
drastically. Gone are the days of
operators, phone banks, party lines, and the infamous neighborhood phone
booth. Additionally, other forms of
communication have changed as well including land lines, telegraphs, pagers, dial-ups,
faxes, emails, answering services, microphones, musical recordings, newspapers,
magazines, radio and television. The
impact of these changes and the accessibility to information 24/7 has altered the way we conduct
business and how we engage socially.
Going Old School
The need to network
and to effectively communicate with others continues to be the number one item
on a long list of things to remember. Even
with the advances in technology, nothing has replaced the need to establish and
maintain long term relationships and partnerships. The agency, business, or organization that
does a great job of keeping its customer base connected and is able to hook up with
new potential customers will always remain open for business. On the other
hand, if a poor job is done, then the “going
out of business sign” is just ahead.
Call me old fashion or old school… it was the way real business was done back
in the day…and it seems that this old
fashion method of doing business has never left… or rather; we don’t notice it that much anymore, or it is called something
else or have we have lost our connections.
This old fashion method continues to be the way to get things done. It is getting to know people, the hand shake,
looking in the eye, talk things over, enjoy some time together, the meet and
greed kind of things. Additionally it
included questions, “Can I get you anything?” “How is the family?” “Are you comfortable?”
In addition, you perhaps talked about community events, shared stories, photos,
values, politics and sports. This was all
part of the deal even when the answer was no.
This was called back in the day “common
custody and mutual respect.”
I am Here for You
Helen Keller, a noticed literary writer,
speaker and lecturer, who was blind and deaf since childhood learned how to
overcome her numerous disabilities to graduate from Radcliff College with a BA
degree, authored twelve books, championed charity initiatives on the behalf of
people with disabilities, receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and
inspired others to make the world a better place. She once stated that “alone we can do so
little; together we can do so much.”
Like Helen Keller,
Urban America needs people to work together for the good of all. It needs more connectors, facilitators, and
pathfinders to help overcome the long list of handicaps of neighborhoods in the
21st century. To overcome the
issues of poverty, homelessness, crime, abuse, drugs, health, housing,
unemployment and gangs. It needs more
people that can work together, regardless of their beliefs, race, political
party or background. It also requires
people to be able to connect with resource people, officials, agencies and tap
into available governmental services. These
are people who are not afraid to get out of their comfort zone and build
bridges, form alliances and hob nob with civic leaders, business leaders,
community advocates and residents.
All great cities, who
are actively engaged with its residents in building great neighborhoods, find
ways to invest and foster meaningful partnerships for positive change and
growth. In the long term, collaboration
always produces worthwhile results and any problem is not that big. Our working together will always be a work in
progress and never an end all …or be all… for
it is about our journey together for positive change that makes it all
meaningful.
Here is the
Deal! The Offer Still Stands… Come
Join Our Neighborhood Team!
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