Michael Lyons' Transformation
| 27 | Jun |
| 2013 |
Submitted by:
Michael Lyons
The year was 1995. I was a 15-year old intern at a New York City daily
newspaper, and I was in awe. At that young, impressionable age, I began to
notice the power of connections. I watched politicians sway crowds, editors
pivot reporters, and businessmen broker deals that were leveraged by the
strength of a relationship. I knew then that success would breed from more than
a combination of “the what” and “the how”. I learned that in order to gain
success, in any field, I needed to include and develop “the who”. The problem
was that I did not know how to build “the who”.
Over the last decade and a half, I’ve been offered leaderships opportunities in my undergraduate alma mater, the University at Albany, in my prior role with Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, in my career at Eli Lilly & Company, and in my MBA studies at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. I worked earnestly to deliver “the what” and “the how”, but poorly built “the who”. I fumbled and clumsily tried to patch connections. I seemed desperate and awkward.
Meanwhile, I noticed others with tremendous brands skyrocket through organizations with seeming ease, reminding me of those leaders I was in awe of as a cub reporter in New York. These individuals knew the importance of “the who,” and I needed to learn from them.
One day, I shared with one of these “rocketmen” that I was impressed with how many people were drawn to him. He shared that he worked at it. He continued that when he graduated with his MBA, just a few years back, a family friend gave him two books as a present and said if he applied the principles of both books, success would come to him. The first book was Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The second was Never Eat Alone.
Within the next two weeks, I read both books cover to cover. Then I read them again. I was hooked. Nowadays, I listen to the audio versions for my evening stroll with our dogs.
Never Eat Alone is not a book about how to manipulate people or situations. Many people have that impression of networking, and call it “a schmoozer’s tool”. It is not. Instead, this is a book about how to build better, more impactful relationships. It discusses a new science of leadership that uses the power of connectivity and initiatives to create deeper connections and learn the beauty of reciprocity.
I have applied these principles and seen the results, yet, I will continue to learn and build. I applaud Keith for writing this book and encourage those with an entrepreneurial spirit, or a desire for deeper connections outside of their established networks, to start this journey. You’ll never look back.
Over the last decade and a half, I’ve been offered leaderships opportunities in my undergraduate alma mater, the University at Albany, in my prior role with Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, in my career at Eli Lilly & Company, and in my MBA studies at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. I worked earnestly to deliver “the what” and “the how”, but poorly built “the who”. I fumbled and clumsily tried to patch connections. I seemed desperate and awkward.
Meanwhile, I noticed others with tremendous brands skyrocket through organizations with seeming ease, reminding me of those leaders I was in awe of as a cub reporter in New York. These individuals knew the importance of “the who,” and I needed to learn from them.
One day, I shared with one of these “rocketmen” that I was impressed with how many people were drawn to him. He shared that he worked at it. He continued that when he graduated with his MBA, just a few years back, a family friend gave him two books as a present and said if he applied the principles of both books, success would come to him. The first book was Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The second was Never Eat Alone.
Within the next two weeks, I read both books cover to cover. Then I read them again. I was hooked. Nowadays, I listen to the audio versions for my evening stroll with our dogs.
Never Eat Alone is not a book about how to manipulate people or situations. Many people have that impression of networking, and call it “a schmoozer’s tool”. It is not. Instead, this is a book about how to build better, more impactful relationships. It discusses a new science of leadership that uses the power of connectivity and initiatives to create deeper connections and learn the beauty of reciprocity.
I have applied these principles and seen the results, yet, I will continue to learn and build. I applaud Keith for writing this book and encourage those with an entrepreneurial spirit, or a desire for deeper connections outside of their established networks, to start this journey. You’ll never look back.
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