We’re destined to connect. We don’t know how, when or why.
I watched the preview premier of a new TV series on Fox called Touch this past Tuesday night. I’d been intrigued by the trailers, but the show ended up provoking thought on how the premise of “destined connectedness” was just as applicable in business.
Have you ever considered that “our lives are invisibly tied to those whose destinies touch ours.” This belief is an Eastern Asian philosophy called the “red thread of fate” – whereby an invisible red string is tied to each person destined to encounter another sometime throughout their lifetime. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but it can never break.
Regardless of religious or personal beliefs, I immediately contemplated how this applies to business. We never really know from where the next lead, sale, employee, affiliate or vendor will come, when they will appear, and how we’ll come into contact. That’s where the strings come into play!
For business, isn’t the “red thread of fate” really a combination of (1) maintaining a great brand reputation, (2) client relationship management, and (3) effective social media?
Need a better idea of what I’m seeing?
– The executive coach I personally worked with years ago became a client, and refers us to her clients, colleagues and friends. She recommended us to her pilates instructor and personal trainer – a husband and wife team. And while I never had the opportunity to meet either of them, I did meet with the personal trainer’s new business partners – and we’ve since launched three new websites for their medical practice and a film production company with offices in NYC and LA. Additionally, one of my executive coach’s colleagues, who I last spoke to about a year ago, has recently referred two of her clients, one in NY and one in LA.
– My college professor became a client for a business that she and her husband started. A few years later, she referred a fantastic graphic and website design student to me, who is now one of our lead web designer / production specialists.
– I offered value in a discussion on LinkedIn several months ago. From a single comment, a fellow group member contacted me and has since become a new client. (And your CEO says social media has no measurable ROI?!) Anyhow, I recently sent this new client an NDA so that I could discuss an idea with him that another, existing client presented to me days earlier. Who knows where the next idea can lead when put in the right hands!
The “red thread” is real. The “red thread” is real relationships.
