greenbags

Special Sections
-- Baby Boomers -- Family -
-- Green -- Home and Auto --
-- In Critical Condition -- Lifestyle --
-- Just Starting Out -- Money --



The Dollar Stretcher

Your Key People

by Michael Angier



share your thoughts
about frugal living
at TDS Community
 
Web Stretcher.com

Subscribe to Our Money Saving Newsletter

Also In This Week's Issue

Credit crunch may squeeze card users

Commuting costs got you down?

Video: Retirement planning in your 30s

Smart ways to trim big-ticket expenses

Visit our Library

More Stories About:

Automobiles

Babies

Children

Debt

Groceries and Food

Making Extra Money

Natural Living

One Income Families

Weddings



Advertise on this site

Business is all about relationship. Who you know and how good a relationship you have with them has a profound effect on your current and future success. But in the busy-ness of business, it's easy to lose track and lose touch with the people who can help you.

I keep what I call a "Key People List." Every person is important, but with over 1,500 people in my contact list, there's no way I can adequately nurture a relationship with all of them. Having a list of 10 to 20 key people helps me to stay focused on building and maintaining win-win relationships.

From time to time, I scan down through the list of names to see how I'm doing in staying in touch and helping them out.

A few years ago, Harvey McKay wrote a book called Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty. The essence of the book is in its title. My Key People List is a bit like that. When and if I need some help on something, I'm not contacting someone whom I have neglected, but rather someone who sees me as having been there for them. Remember, people don't care how much we know unless they know how much we care.

You may think this is too calculating, strategic and perhaps even unfriendly. Quite the contrary. It's simply a means of staying focused on what's important. It reminds us of people we care about. Just the good intention of remaining close with our friends, colleagues and associates is not enough. We have to act, and my Key Person List helps me do that.

Whenever I look at my list, I find reasons to touch base with them. I send them something that would be helpful. I call them to see how they're doing. I ask if there's anything I can do for them. I encourage and congratulate them. It's not hard, it takes only a few moments, and it means a lot.

To know that someone else is thinking about us gives us all a warm feeling and causes us to do the same for them. At the end of our lives, it will be the relationships we had with family and friends that will bring us the greatest joy.

Who do you have on your list? Who would you put on that list? And, are you the kind of person who would end up on someone else's list?


Copyright Michael Angier.

SuccessNet.org and WorldClassBusiness.com help you and your business grow. Get their frëë report, 10 Pillars of a World Class Business, by sending an email to wcb@SuccessNet.org. No-cost subscriptions, memberships, eCourses, eBooks and more are available at http://SuccessNet.org and InfoPlease@SuccessNet.org.

Share your thoughts about this article with the editor. Do you have an idea that wasn't included in the article? Tell us about it: Click Here

Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please send it to tips @stretcher.com. We get the best ideas from our readers!

Advertise on this site











Additional Dollar Stretcher Articles:

Economic Turmoil Causing Credit Card Changes
How will recent events affect your personal finances?

My Story
Avoiding creditors will only make things worse

I'm Out of Money
When there's more month than money

Frugal Myths
3 things that don't work and 3 things that do!

Signs of Wealth
Follow the signs to a more prosperous future


Our Sponsor

Check Your Credit Now
Get Your Credit Score, Credit Report and
3-Bureau Credit Monitoring Free for 30 Days

I Would like to:

Would you like to tell a Frugal Friend about this article? Just fill out their email address and your name and we'll send them the URL.
Enter your friend's email:
Enter your name:
Enter a message to your friend:

Copyright 1996 - 2008 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.". All rights reserved unless specifically noted.

Write to the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton
FL 34280-4160

941-761-7805 voice
941-761-8301 fax


"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.