The Arbinger Institute’s Post

Ever feel that little 'twinge' of awkwardness before reaching out to someone new? I had that moment this week during the Virtual Book Launch of the The Arbinger Institute's new 4th Edition of Leadership and Self-Deception. The event was so full, and the chat box was alive with comments as Mitch Warner led us through a fantastic event with the The Arbinger Institute team. (Highly recommend catching the replay if you can, it was fab!) I noticed a few people who really stood out in the chat and I thought, "I'd love to meet these people and connect, but how?". Initially, I hesitated; after all, it’s easy to lurk in the background when you're not sure, right? But something nudged me to take a chance, so I jumped on #LinkedIn, looked them up to see what we had in common, and reached out to a few of them to connect. One of those connections was Michael Diehl, and wow, let's just say that am I glad I took that leap and pressed 'send'. Michael was so enthusiastic and responded right away. We met for a virtual coffee yesterday, and I have to say, we just 'clicked; and it felt like catching up with a great friend. We both share a passion for people leadership and talent management and coaching (oh and a love for everyone at The Arbinger Institute!! 🤗). Our conversation was the kind that leaves you buzzing with ideas and that bouncing feeling of catching up with someone you trust and really like. What started as a nervous LinkedIn connection has turned into an agreement to try out co-mentorship...something I didn’t see coming but am incredibly grateful for. Michael doesn’t know this yet, but he truly made my day and really inspired me. The lesson here? Push past the awkwardness / discomfort /shyness (whatever you are feeling), and go for it.. hit that connect button. Sometimes, taking that small risk leads to connections that could transform your growth, enable you to help others, and bonus here, maybe even make your day a little brighter. So, what’s stopping you? That next connection could be the start of something amazing! #Leadership #Networking #Connection #ArbingerInsitute (Image courtesy of #Freepix and edited)