3 Great Reasons to Join a Local Cabinet
If you are an independent consultant thinking about joining a Local Cabinet, you are probably weighing the pro's and con's. Naturally, you wonder if it is worth the money and you are probably thinking you don't really have half a day to spare once a month for meetings. These are all natural responses but there are three primary reasons why you should join a Local Cabinet, and they don't have anything to do with referrals.
First, a key to being happy in this world is to avoid isolation. Humans are programed to interact with each other. Your nature drives you to family and friends. Even religious hermits live in communities. We are wired for social interaction.
The requirements of being an independent consultant often puts people in a position of isolation. I'm not just talking about having to do all the tasks by yourself. I'm talking about sitting in your office, looking at your PC, and talking to clients all the time. Each of us need a social network that we can relate to and fit into. The Local Cabinet provides this. As a Cabinet Chair, one of the more challenging parts of running a meeting is getting everyone to stop socializing and start focusing on the agenda. The first thirty minutes of every meeting is just socializing. It's great. It's like a miniature family reunion.
The second reason to join a Local Cabinet is to have a trusted group of qualified advisers that you can use to review ideas, discuss issues, and learn from. None of us are good at everything. In an organization you have a hierarchy of co-workers that you can work with to ensure you're producing great work. As an independent, you have yourself. How many times have you written a letter to a client, printed up a presentation, or written a blog post only to see a glaring error two seconds after you hit print? Each of us need that team to talk to for the big issues.
The third reason to join a Local Cabinet to share best practices. You will get great ideas, tips, and contacts that will put a lot of cash in your pocket. You will also find that giving other in the Local Cabinet you best ideas is more rewarding than getting great ideas you can take home.
Will you get additional business from referrals if you join a Local Cabinet? Sure. Will you get exposed to new leads and markets you could not access on your own? Sure. Will all this make you more money? You bet. The real value, however, is in the relationships you will build with other members.
First, a key to being happy in this world is to avoid isolation. Humans are programed to interact with each other. Your nature drives you to family and friends. Even religious hermits live in communities. We are wired for social interaction.
The requirements of being an independent consultant often puts people in a position of isolation. I'm not just talking about having to do all the tasks by yourself. I'm talking about sitting in your office, looking at your PC, and talking to clients all the time. Each of us need a social network that we can relate to and fit into. The Local Cabinet provides this. As a Cabinet Chair, one of the more challenging parts of running a meeting is getting everyone to stop socializing and start focusing on the agenda. The first thirty minutes of every meeting is just socializing. It's great. It's like a miniature family reunion.
The second reason to join a Local Cabinet is to have a trusted group of qualified advisers that you can use to review ideas, discuss issues, and learn from. None of us are good at everything. In an organization you have a hierarchy of co-workers that you can work with to ensure you're producing great work. As an independent, you have yourself. How many times have you written a letter to a client, printed up a presentation, or written a blog post only to see a glaring error two seconds after you hit print? Each of us need that team to talk to for the big issues.
The third reason to join a Local Cabinet to share best practices. You will get great ideas, tips, and contacts that will put a lot of cash in your pocket. You will also find that giving other in the Local Cabinet you best ideas is more rewarding than getting great ideas you can take home.
Will you get additional business from referrals if you join a Local Cabinet? Sure. Will you get exposed to new leads and markets you could not access on your own? Sure. Will all this make you more money? You bet. The real value, however, is in the relationships you will build with other members.
