Pay It Forward

white ceramic mug full of coffee on a wood surface that reads "What Good Shall I Do This Day?"

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my 27 years in association management is:

When somebody hits you up with a request for a favor in a professional context, ALWAYS try to help them out, or connect them to someone who can.

Call it good karma, or ninja-level networking, or spreading the love, or paying it forward, or whatever, but people remember that you tried to help them and that you know people.

Someday, you’ll need help, and if you’re known as a person who tries to connect people with solutions to their problems, you won’t even have to call in chips – people will line up to help you.

Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash