At York IE we constantly preach the value of the market-in approach to company building — relying on research to identify opportunities. Kyle often talks about the importance of being the most prepared person in the room, which simply means: the more you’re aware of, the more connections you are able to make.
Last week I talked about how I learned about Brené Brown, who was greatly influenced by Teddy Roosevelt’s The Man In The Arena speech. Once I learned about it, I read that speech several times. Coincidentally, this week my beloved NFL quarterback Tom Brady came out with a new 10-part documentary series in which each episode focuses on one of his 10 Super Bowl appearances. Wouldn’t you know, it’s called The Man In The Arena. The Patriots used to have that Roosevelt quote in their locker room, and it always inspired Brady.
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That connection might seem small and meaningless, but it deepened my appreciation for the documentary and the way in which Brady, by naming it as he did, viewed it. For me it became a richer experience and a more meaningful connection.
In our fast-paced, overly stimulated world, one of the best ways to achieve success, whether it is in hiring or sales or whatever, is to quickly make meaningful connections. It is why, as a salesperson, Kyle was obsessed with knowing the score of the local sports team in the city he was making a pitch. He wanted to start with that connection. As tech takes over and more and more things become automated, all of that automation should free us up to have more time to make those personal connections.
The more you know, the more opportunities you have to connect with someone. And that, in the end, can make all the difference.
