by Sarah Robinson: We love to read a success story: Arianna Huffington, Deliciously Ella, Madeleine Shaw, Anita Roddick, Malala Yousafzai, JK Rowling to name just a few…
I’ve no doubt each one would tell you that they didn’t reach success without certain types of people in their lives; success is always in part down the our networks and the people that will help us along our path.
These are six types of people that might be vital to your success, and useful to have in your tribe:
- The Cheerleader — The Cheerleader loves to encourage you when your journey takes an unexpected detour. Reminding you of your skills and unique gifts when you feel rejected. Your cheerleader might be your partner, relatives, or an old friend. Through your journey roadblocks are inevitable, our cheerleader will help you see you can overcome anything. The more cheerleaders you have the better!
- The Impartial— An impartial judge passes judgment on a particular case in question after they have all the details. Someone impartial can also provide you candid feedback about how you are doing; in business and in life.
- The Sage— You may often call or text the Sage in moments of need, when you are making a big decision. Often their advice may not be the information you want to hear because it challenges your thoughts or ideas, and that is exactly why they are so important. The Sage may not tell you what you want to hear, but they may well be what you need to hear.
- Ally — The Ally is someone who understands what you are trying to achieve in life, even if their own path is very different to yours. They are the yin to your yang, they have complementary skills to fill in your weaknesses, or provide you with a different viewpoint.
- The sounding board — It is invaluable to have someone listen to ideas and quickly pass some kind of judgment. This is the sounding board: someone who will help you explore new ideas, products, campaigns, or anything in between.
- The Catalyst — The Catalyst is someone who has doubted you, told you you couldn’t do it, or may have made you feel that you weren’t good enough. They may even be someone you have never met, BUT this person’s words or actions serve to keep you motivated and moving forward to, or inspired you to learn more or take different paths
If you can quickly identify all six of these people in your life, then well done! you have built a Thrive Tribe that is on the right track! But don’t worry if not, if you feel your tribe is missing key players, you can take action today; seek out meet up groups or online forums. Seek advice from peers, potential collaborators and clients. Every person you meet on your journey will have something to teach you, and will prove invaluable. And some will become pillars of your Thrive Tribe and support your journey of success.
You can reach out to people anytime to fill roles your feel may be lacking. Bear in mind:
- It is a journey, not a destination. Your path is a long one and a tribe is about having truly valuable people and creating nourishing relationships in your life.
- Its not just about you. When you’re reaching out to others, remind yourself, “I want this person to be in my tribe because I think they will help me in my journey, but I know it’s just as important that I can provide value to them as well.”
- Communicate. You might use social media to connect, but an email reaching out with an opportunity or even just an old fashioned invitation for a cup of tea might work to make contact with new people. Think about how best to connect with each person.
Creating and nurturing a good network is essential for business and personal success. It requires focus, planning, and hard work. Encourage your friends, because life and work are hard for us all! Take a look around you at your Tribe, and ask yourself, ‘what more can I do to help them fulfill their goals?’
