How many times have you traveled to a city and thought you should have arranged to meet with someone, but didn’t think ahead?
Or perhaps you organized an event and, afterwards, thought that a particular person would have really enjoyed the experience, only you didn’t think to invite them?
As your network of relationships expands, it becomes increasingly hard to keep track of the many people you know and value. When planning trips and events, remembering who to reconnect with is a common challenge.
The best way to remedy your faulty memory is to organize your relationships by city and activity.
This is a straightforward process that begins with a complete list of relationships, new and old, developed and prospective.
Generating this master list is itself a great exercise. Purposely deciding who is worth your time and energy brings the value of your relationships into sharp relief.
By organizing your valued relationships by location (usually by city), you now have a mnemonic device to become more efficient with your time during travel.
A quick scan of the many relationships in each location provides a variety of choices for spare time and meals. Inviting people in advance of your travel increases the odds that they will be available to see you.
But it is important to remember that it is the invitation that tells people they are important to you.
Make sure you invite the people that matter to you to show them they count. Their joining you is a bonus.
Next, create a list of the experiences, activities, interests, and excursions that are on your schedule, or that normally take up your time.
Golf trips, a culinary tour, a wine-tasting adventure, a museum visit, a concert performance, among many other activities, are experiences worth sharing with valued relationships.
Once you have a list of who shares your passions, it only takes a simple scan to remind you who should be included. Organizing relationships by location and activity sounds like common sense, but it is not a common practice.
Making it a part of your relationship maintenance process adds efficiency and value. It is a tedious task, but worth the effort.
Maintaining and deepening relationships takes effort, time, and forethought.
Capitalizing on the events and experiences on your calendar or in the planning stage allows you to include people who are easily overlooked without a reminder.
Your memory is limited, especially when you get busy. Eliminate regrets and apologies after the fact with this simple approach.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
