By Jeff Brink, August 20, 2024

Regular one-on-one get-to-gethers with people in your network are beneficial for everyone. For practical tips on being an effective servant connector, and how to establish a healthy rhythm for these meetings, see Caffeinated Connections.

Following up and following through on commitments after a coffee meeting is important to ensuring integrity and your value. 

Following Jesus is the most important “following” anyone will ever do by an infinite margin. That said, follow-up and follow-through are essential ingredients to get traction and succeed in almost all areas of our lives, including our work, business, personal relationships, and kingdom-impact activities.

Salespeople are likely collectively nodding their heads right now. More than anyone, salespeople understand the low probability of successful outcomes from only a first call or one meeting. Those who diligently follow up experience exponentially more success. The same holds true in varying degrees with most aspects of our lives, including kingdom-oriented networking and helping others.

Follow-through in networking is simply doing what you said you would do. When you offer or commit to making an introduction, providing a resource, or praying for someone, do it! Keeping our word or commitment is God-honoring (It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it, Ecclesiastes 5:5).

God providentially connects us with others through circumstances He orchestrates. The Holy Spirit provides nudges and often prods us in subtle ways. How we initially respond, follow up, and follow through will often determine the impact we make. In Ephesians 2:10, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for us in advance.” From this passage we discover that God created us to do good works. He prepared these opportunities in advance for us to do. Our role in the opportunity is taking action which, in the context of in-person networking (and many things in life), is follow up and follow through.

A first meeting with someone lays the foundation for what God wants to build. Your actions and involvement (doing) are necessary to participate in His plan. When the Lord calls you to do something or help someone, heed the call, follow up, and follow through to get God’s desired results.

Open your digital calendars and get to your favorite coffee shop this week. Order another shot of espresso, continue those conversations, and finish what you started!