Dan In Focus

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We have much to be thankful for and I hope you take a few minutes to reflect on your blessings. This is the time of year when things slow down a bit (and in some workplaces, a lot) with people taking time off work. I know my office will be pretty much shut down around Christmas/New Years. My previous employers were just about the same. As a project manager, we always plan for a slowdown in the work for the last three weeks of the year.

So what if you are still working and not vacationing somewhere warm? Now is a perfect time to take my Holiday Challenge. Pick up the phone and make an appointment with someone on your network. Go to lunch or just get together for a chat. Chances are they will have some free time around the holidays as well and will be glad you called. Take a few minutes to reconnect and find out what they are up to. Find a way to give them a hand.

If you are up for a real challenge, expand your network by meeting with someone new. This is the perfect season to do it. Many are in a giving mood and the calendars are a little more relaxed. Some people are more rushed, so be flexible. However, I know as I get closer to the end of the year, my ability to accomplish tasks is severely impacted by the absence of others. I always have time available for odd tasks. Networking is one of those perfect fillers.

Have a holiday party coming up? Dreading standing around not knowing what to do? Take the challenge! These parties are a perfect opportunity to meet someone and talk for a few minutes. You never know who you’ll meet and it can be real fun. I love going to my wife’s work Christmas parties. I don’t have to worry about office politics and there is always someone sitting bored. This is the perfect chance to strike up a conversation an find out something about them. Who knows – you may be the best thing that happens to them all night long.

Make this season bright by meeting someone new or renewing a old relationship. Take the challenge and make an appointment today. Let me know how it works out. I bet you will have a wonderful time.