Nurturing and growing community
Rethinking how I’d like to nurture and grow my community in 2025, inspired by a reflection on end-of-year correspondence that Tomomi led.
Why relationship building matters
Whenever people ask me how we’ve grown Emotions at Work or how new clients discover my work, I tell them networking. And when clients ask me how they can accelerate their career development or job search, my answer is the same—networking! Or, as I prefer to call it, relationship building.
When you hear networking you might recoil or think “ugh, not that again”. I hear you! It’s gotten a bad rep and can feel forced, draining or transactional. But, it can also be a powerful source of genuine support, valuable feedback, meaningful partnerships, and inspiration. When I shift my mindset to focus on connection and the joy of being in conversation, it becomes a rewarding part of my work.
Rethinking gratitude and connection
Growing up, handwritten thank-you cards were a ritual in my family. 📨 Every gift I received was followed by a handwritten note of appreciation, a practice my mom instilled in me (even if my 13-year old self wasn’t always thrilled about it). As an adult, I turned this habit into a professional practice: sending thank-you emails after every informational coffee chat or job interview.
Somewhere along the way, I let this practice slip.
Tomomi's reflection exercise gave me a fresh perspective. It allowed me to step back and pinpoint what’s been making the ‘lift’ feel heavy or intimidating. And, it gave me the space to reflect on the incredible people I’ve met, meaningful conversations I’ve had, and clients I’ve worked with this year, and how I’d like to honor those connections.
Like many aspects of my work, I realized that focusing on how I want to feel (joyful, grateful, and connected) while nurturing these relationships is key to making the process more meaningful.
Questions and ideas to help you reflect
Here are a few questions and insights from Tomomi that helped me–and might inspire your own reflection:
Who do I want to reach out to?
One powerful takeaway from our session was the simple act of listing all the people I’d like to reconnect with or reach out to. Thinking about it in categories helped me identify people I may not have included before. Here are a few ideas to consider:
People you’ve collaborated or partnered with
Peers or colleagues
Clients (past, present or future)
Friends and family who’ve supported you and your work
Managers or bosses (past or present)
Mentors
Members of your online network
How do I want to connect with them?
Another helpful insight was exploring connection methods that feel enjoyable and authentic. I realized that sticking solely with email had made the process feel heavy. Considering other formats felt energizing and expansive. Here are a few ideas:
Handwritten notes or postcards
LinkedIn messages
WhatsApp messages
Quick phone calls
Voice notes (I love a good voice note!)
Personal emails
Newsletters
Sending something in the mail
What do I want to say?
This was the most eye-opening part for me. I realized I’d fallen into a habit of only sending thank-you notes after specific conversations, which left me missing other meaningful opportunities to connect. I’d also let elapsed time be the reason I didn’t reach out. Exploring different approaches helped me think creatively about how to reconnect. Here are some ideas:
Spread festive cheer: foster a sense of community with a joyful holiday note.
Acknowledge missed opportunities: say sorry for a missed follow-up or gap in communication.
Express gratitude: thank someone for their support, mentorship, or collaboration.
Promote engagement: share a subtle call-to action, like a request for feedback or an invitation to future collaboration.
Show you care: let someone know they’re appreciated and valued, reinforcing their importance to your work, career, or business.
Rekindle and rebuild connections: reopen communication with someone you’ve lost touch with.
Stay top of mind: send a thoughtful message to keep yourself or your business top of mind.
Putting it into practice
This season, I’m putting this into practice by reaching out to mentors who’ve helped guide me over the past three years, an old manager who profoundly impacted my career, our growing EAW alumni network, and an old colleague I’ve been wanting to reconnect with.
If this resonates, why not give it a try? The holiday season is a great time to send a thoughtful message. Start by making a list of people in your professional network and how you’d like to connect with them. Then, schedule some turtle time 🐢 to make it happen.