The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships
Susan McPherson with Jackie Ashton
McGraw-Hill (March 2021)

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” Henry Ford

Having already read and reviewed several dozen books on the subject of networking, I was curious to share what Susan McPherson has to say about it, especially given the social limits associated with COVID-19 in combination with recent changes in the workplace culture.

What some view as the “art and science” of networking have indeed changed and, in my opinion, it is imperative for each individual to adopt (and adapt) the networking strategies and tactics that are most appropriate to their personality and temperament as well as to their specific professional objectives

With the assistance of Jackie Ashton, McPherson focuses on a three-part method: GATHER, ASK, DO. She explains how to “create the conditions for relationships to flourish in your office — whether it’s physical or  virtual — and among potential partners…by prioritizing what’s in front of you: who you know, your current skills, and existing contacts. Do not underestimate the power of connections unrelated to your business plan.”

Next,  she explains “how to start connecting the dots (or stars) that you have gathered” among those relationships. Her method “boils down to the most important ask of all: ‘How can I help?’ Do that by asking them!”

Then she urges her reader to turn their connections into meaningful action. “Shine a light on the causes that inspire you and make your business about more than profit and the bottom line” by taking relationships “from the realm of an acquaintance into a connection that is meaningful and deep [through] several small actions that build up over time.”

Apparently this method works well for Susan McPherson who claims that connection is her “superpower. It has always come as naturally to me as breathing. I’ve been called the Serial Connector, a human customer relationship management (CRM) app.”

Most people find effective networking very difficult. Hopefully, this book will provide to at least some of them the assistance they need.

Also, I presume to add some sound advice from Theodore Roosevelt: “People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”