On Friday, we celebrated William’s birthday. After Steve sat us down for a “serious conversation,” just as we had mentally prepared for the worst, Shanahan walked into the conference room with a slice of cake singing “Happy Birthday.” These experiences, where we celebrate each other and connect with one another personally, really build our chemistry and help us really get to know each other on a deeper level. It is these deeper connections that are truly valuable when meeting new people and working in a team.
We’ve heard a lot about networking. It’s all about the people. It’s all about who you know. At least, that is, according to the wisdom shared with us by the mentors, the speakers, and the alumni that we’ve met over the past two weeks. But still, I think that this past week at CAUSE has taught me that there’s more to it than that. It’s great to know a lot of people. But what’s the point in knowing those people if you don’t really know them?
What matters is how and how well you can connect with people. Nobody wants to help people that they don’t share some sort of connection with. Because why would they? Just because you meet someone and talk to them once or twice doesn’t mean that they are now willing to help you. It doesn’t even mean that they’ll respond to you. If you don’t share some sort of connection or meaningful experience with them, they have no reason to help you out.
But this goes way beyond your own self interest as well. It’s so much easier and more productive to work with people who you’ve connected with, who you vibe with. I’m a big believer in chemistry: the idea that you can achieve so much more when you team up with people who you can relate to and connect with. And I’ve seen this play out as we work on our mock campaign project: Andrea, Pa Houa, and I share so much in common in terms of our lives, our skills, and our interests, and because of that, working together to plan and host our field canvassing event has been both a breeze and a blast. Of course we have our differences and our own separate lives and personalities. Everyone has those. But the connections and chemistry we share brings the best out of each of us.
Naya Dukkipati and Meghna Nair discuss at a museum exhibit.
I feel like when we try to “network,” we focus so much on our professional lives and our future careers, as well as the careers of the people we’re meeting. And while it’s possible to connect on these levels, to me it feels a bit superficial and boring. That’s why when I meet new people, even if it’s in a professional or semi-professional setting, I love talking about hobbies, fun activities, and interests (like cooking for example), really whatever I feel like talking about, in addition to all the professional stuff. Plus, it makes meeting new people a lot more fun!
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Coby Nguyen, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.