It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
Hello everyone. I don’t know if this news has hit any major headlines over in the States or not, but just in case it either has or will, please know that our group over in China is safe. Typhoon Haikui has arrived at the coast of China and we are receiving adverse weather conditions in Shanghai as a result. Although there is some serious flooding (I’m looking out the window and seeing taxis driving through water easily above the top of their tires), we are safe and out of harms way. Our access to Internet is limited, so if you receive late responses to emails, Skype messages, etc., that’s the reason. In the event of an emergency and need to reach me or our group, we are at the Sunrise On The Bund hotel. The phone number is is +86 (21) 5558-9999. I'll do my best to chime in periodically to keep you posted.
So far, I’m feeling very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take part in this trip. Reflecting over just past few days I can’t believe how wonderfully things had to align in order for us to be here right now. The history that took place, the people working together now, the political climates, etc. all have blended to come together to bring us here. In just two days we have done numerous things that many people would never even dream of—and that’s very humbling. Two days ago, we visited a place that was denied to even the people who resided in the country. Yesterday we ascended one of the seven wonders of the world—The Great Wall of China. I’ve heard many things about the Great Wall of China, but until I was able to experience it for myself, I could never fully appreciate it. The largest man-made defense structure ever built, I can only image the amount of time, energy, money, pain, love, suffering, and passion that went into the design and construction of it. It is truly remarkable. Not only the structure itself, but the process through which it came into existence.
Before the we went to the Great Wall, we visited an independent research institution in China called the China Development Research Foundation (CDRF) where Mr. Hu Ziqiang, Mr. Yu Jiantuo, Ms. Liu Bei, Mr. Du Zhixin, and Mr. Feng Wenmeng presented us with fascinating insights into Chinese culture, concerns, and their approaches to measuring and addressing issues in regards to income distribution, early childhood development, social integration of migrant children, and population development. The tourism has been tremendously gratifying, and the opportunity to gain first-hand insights from the people working on the issues we so often hear about has taken this trip to another level—one that won’t be easily forgettable. I apologize for the brevity of these blog posts. There’s a lot of stuff to do and very little time in which to do it, but I want to keep you as posted as I can about our journey. If you have any questions, requests, or comments, please feel free to leave the below. Let me know what you’d like to see a picture of, provide your recommendations of places to see or things to do. What insights can I help bring back for you?
Until next time…peace