Is Your Net Working? You Get Back What You Give

I recently noticed the often used saying "You Get Back What You Give" written in large letters on a roadside display board at a local church. Perhaps they are stating the obvious but then one's base personality of being an optimist or a pessimist might come into play. Do you see the world as one of opportunity or as one of danger and threats?

If you are a believer in the law of attraction you have likely also heard the sayings "you reap what you sew" or "what you think about comes about." Dr. Ivan Meisner, Founder of BNI describes this as the "Givers Gain" principal. The law of reciprocity says that if you provide a service or favour for another they will likely feel obligated to return the favour. I have read somewhere that it creates a tension in the individual who has received a favour to the extent that they feel a discomfort until they have returned the favour and evened the score. This may be at a subconscious level and they wouldn't even be aware of why they are doing it.

The example above refers to the results that can occur for helping another individual. Sometimes, cause and effect aren't related in time. Meaning that you can't always see your results nor can they always be attributed to your actions. The law of attraction would have you believe that if you put out something good to the Universe it will respond by having something good return to you. The results that you obtain aren't always related to the good that you put out though. It could come back to you from a different, perhaps unexpected source.

So what does this have to do with business networking? When you provide assistance or a favour for another individual without the expectation of gain, the Universe will balance it out and you will receive something in return. Providing a business referral to someone in your network could result in multiple referrals back to you.

An easy way to start this in motion is to create and submit a testimonial for someone in your network and submit it to their LinkedIn profile under the appropriate heading i.e. where you have worked with them or know of their work. Odds are that they will become motivated to submit one in return on your behalf. This action has an added benefit of displaying your name in their profile which is linked to yours. People are curious and frequently read the LinkedIn testimonials. A well written one will reflect well on you.

Another easy favour that you can do for someone is to Like their Facebook page or a specific entry that they have made. It helps to give them credibility as well highlights your name somewhat. The same applies to LinkedIn. Post a favourable comment on something an individual has written or click on the Like button.

We all have skills and expertise that we use everyday in our jobs and businesses. What we take for granted might be awe-inspiring in others. Consider doing some pro bono work for others. Doing so can significantly help someone in need and can also give you that warm fuzzy feeling that we sometimes crave. You never know what you will receive in return once you set this action in place.

If you know the person well enough and you are comfortable doing so, offer their name as a referral if someone is looking for a service or product that they provide.

Whether you believe in the law of attraction or not there is enough anecdotal evidence out there that indicates that the principal of "Givers Gain" actually works. I would challenge you to test it out and see for yourself. Try it and see what happens. Let me know how your net's working.