The Game of Giving... What else would you add?

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I have been networking since I was age 5. My Dad was a bank manager and we moved around a lot!

When you are the new kid in school over and over, you learn very quickly how to turn strangers into friends. So I learnt fast! Six schools later, and by the age of 18, I found myself easily able to do this (embarrassing early school pics attached!).

From my perspective, 'The Game' in its simplest form is simply about turning strangers into friends.

I've been networking in business for over 20 years. When I first met

@Lukas Schmidt

it was like finding the mirror of me. He has a deep understanding of community, relationships, and connections. So I am grateful to be here, in this community, and to have already learned so much from him.

I am sure that many of you have already formed great friendships with people here on Skool who were once complete strangers, with an online profile. As you read through this post, be sure to tag your friends and show some appreciation below. Maybe share a story about how you met or how you have been able to help each other since you connected.

The truth is, I was pretty lonely before I found Skool at the end of August this year. Sure, I know a LOT of people. I am very well connected, but true friends? Not so many by choice. I have some close friends, but a few completely disappeared when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2023. I found myself having to hibernate away from the world to avoid getting sick, with a compromised immune system. What used to be my playground (a room full of people networking) gave me anxiety, and I fell out of love with the one thing I used to adore.

It's only now that I am finally rediscovering networking, as I emerge from my health cocoon. Skool has reignited my passion for building relationships. I've met some amazing humans here.

What I have experienced is that the best relationships are formed by helping and giving to others. So with that in mind, I thought I would put together a few ways in which I have been able to give and support others over the years; they may help you too...

Give one thing, in a networking call, always aim to share one thing that may help that person
Give support, support their posts, support their comments, help them move up the Leaderboard(s)
Give feedback/advice, if you have expertise on a topic (not unsolicited, and no selling!)
Give understanding, get to know the person on a deeper level by asking great questions
Give recommendations, if you have worked with the person, tag them, shout them out in posts.
Give time; sometimes all people need is to be heard and listened to. Give your time to them.
Give connections, networking is about becoming a master connector. When you know 'The Game' really well, this becomes a super-power. When you can connect 2 people in your network who you know, magic occurs. Great things happen when great people meet.
Give referrals only when you have deep trust in that person. You may decide to refer them to one of your clients or contacts, but remember, when you refer someone, you are putting your own reputation on the line, so make sure you know that they will cherish and look after that connection. Always feed back to the originator of the referral.
Give resources, share a book, a podcast a resource, a video or even another Skool community that you think might help that person.
And finally... Give yourself. Give the best and most authentic version of you to every person you meet. It's OK to be vulnerable, to share what you are finding hard, because it's in those moments we find true connection.

What else would you add?

How can you help the new person in Skool?

What other ways have you found useful to give and help others in 'The Game'?

PRO TIP: The best book I have read on this is "The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea" it's a very low-cost, quick, and easy read.

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