Quickly, off the top of your head answer the following:

  1. You just lost your job.  Who do you call to begin your search for a new one?
  2. Someone just told you about a job opening at a local company.  Who could benefit?
  3. A dear friend is ill.  Which speciallist would you recommend?
  4. Your daughter is getting married.  Who do you trust to help make it an event to remember?
  5. A local company is giving away its old (but still serviceable) computers.  What local charity could use the donation?

These are just a few opportunities when your network can be of tremendous benefit (both to you and to others).  It only works, though when you know as much as you can about them.

How you gather and maintain this information is a matter of the system you create to manage it.

But don’t let the lack of a system stop you from diving in!

So, who have you been able to help because you knew your network?