Keith Ferrazzi’s Top Tips for Generous Relationships

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November 24, 2008 by Amanda | Comments (0)

We received this fantastic email tip from one of our favorite authors, Keith Ferrazzi, called “Tip 145 – Thanksgiving Special – NEA’s Top Tips for Generous Relationships.” We love how the tips (inspired by or lifted from his book, Never Eat Alone) focus on “relationships” in general, and can be applied to business or personal connections. The video that follows gives tips and pointers for how to throw a memorable dinner party.

1. Feed people: There’s no better way to be generous than by hosting a dinner party – and what do we have coming up but the ultimate dinner party? For many Thanksgiving is a family event, but inviting a friend or colleague who may be alone on the holiday is a wonderful way to be generous and strengthen a relationship.

2. Make introductions: I’m constantly introducing people from different parts of my life who might benefit from knowing each other. It’s a sort of ongoing puzzle, matching up the right people and the right opportunities. Never hoard your relationship equity.

3. Become a knowledge broker: Share information, by blog, by email, by Twitter, over lunch or however else. But in particular, focus on sharing information that helps people solve problems, however broadly defined. Suppress the urge to tell all the world about your favorite chicken salad sandwich (unless maybe you have a cooking blog) just because you can. With all the noise out there, occasionally silence is the truly generous choice.

4. Tell a story: Sharing your history is always a generous way to give something of yourself to a friend or colleague. Telling a real story about your past – with a beginning, middle, end, and maybe even a Kleenex moment – is even better. They’ll be happy for the glimpse of what makes you tick (and hey, it saves them a price of a movie ticket).

5. Mentor and get mentored: Perhaps the only thing you can do that’s more generous than serving as a caring, consistent mentor to someone is asking someone else to mentor you – and then working your hardest to make them proud.