What is the best work-related compliment you’ve ever received? Was it from a boss, a peer, a direct report? Answer in the comments section.
I received a compliment a few weeks back from my current supervisor. She said, “I’ve been at this place a long time, and I’ve never seen anybody build as large a network as you have in such a short time.” This is a big compliment for me, because I was anxious about coming to this new location over a year ago where I only knew 3 or 4 people in the building.
I try to meet new people every day. Working in Career Development/Leader Development, it is important that people recognize me and feel they can talk to me in the hallways and reach out to me with questions. In networking with people, this Maya Angelou quote speaks volumes: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Building a large network isn’t a top priority for many, but meeting individuals, making eye contact, and actively listening to them can be wonderful.