NetWorking With One of Dallas' Finest

When I think about people who I want to attend my networking events or people who may be a valuable resource to others, MarySue Foster is always in the top 5. MarySue is a woman who is always listening for how she can make connections inside of her network. She gets pure satisfaction out of getting people together whether it is something she is working on or not.

As a result of this great networking attitude, MarySue is amazing at getting people enrolled in her ideas and moving forward in action making her ideas a reality. She always participates in projects which become bigger than her, which requires a huge dependence on her network.

I asked MarySue recently how she keeps it all together in her head. She always seems to have a referral for everyone she meets. MarySue keeps rosters of everything. Rosters from classes or workshops she takes, from organizations she participates in and from boards she serves on. She keeps them for years.  She constantly refers to her lists to keep people fresh in her mind. MarySue mentioned that on several occasions she will look at a list she has not looked at in a while and the next event someone will ask for a referral which is perfectly matched to someone on her recently reviewed list.

MarySue is currently involved in an amazing project, Imagine Dallas, where she is using these skills not only to bring awareness to the project but also passing on her knowledge and skills on to the next generation of networkers. Imagine Dallas is a community program working with young people by teaching them Appreciative Inquiry. This is the process of acknowledging the best of the past and creating an inclusive future. The Appreciative Inquiry “links personal beliefs to public commitments and future hopes, and works to reconnect people, in many instances, to the importance and meaning of their own contribution in the city.”

Imagine Dallas trains young people this process and then links them to leaders in the community. The young people then interview the leaders, using Appreciative Inquiry, to learn not just about the individual but the impact that individual is having on the community.  This is getting young people in the process of learning how to network and how to get to people they want to connect with.

MarySue is committed to people having a voice and that their voice is heard. Imagine Dallas is the perfect vehicle for her to use to fulfill her commitment. If you would like more information on Imagine Dallas or how you can launch this type of program in your city, you can contact MarySue at marysue@earthlink.net .

---

Kenda-Le can be reached at KendaKeP@TheNationalNetworker.com.