It hardly seems possible that a few years ago I started a charity in my spare time called Cinnamon Network. It finds an effective social action project in one local community, and then supports its replication in multiple communities across a country. In the UK there is a menu of 30 different social action projects replicated in 3,500 communities. The charity now has an annual income of over £1million, with contracts and grants with police, government and business. It has a team of 40 people and is now developing internationally, with continual intention to increase and amplify it’s purpose.
One of the things that I am passionate about is that we are a network, rather than an organisation. From the beginning, our foundation has been building a network of trusting relationships and partnerships. We can achieve more together than we can apart, and being together does not require us to work under the same name, or in a building – we have no office, and our team work where they live.
It’s incredible what can be achieved through relationships, or to put it alternatively; it’s unbelievable what you can’t do without a relationship. Organisation or not is not really the point, the point is that whether it be a small or a big organisation, the organisation only works because of the relationships involved.
As I look back through my life so far, all the good things that I’ve enjoyed have been thanks to relationships, not organisations. So, whether or not we build an organisation, let’s focus on building relationships which unlock the opportunities and future we dream of.
If the people in your organisation were 10% more relational, how much more effective would things be?
If you would like to build the relationships that will unlock your future, then I would like to invite you to my Amplification Masterclass on how you can turn up the volume for your life purpose. I will walk you through the 7 behaviours of highly effective relationship builders that will help you achieve your aspirations. So, how effective are your relationships?
Author: Matt Bird is the creator of Relationology a unique approach to achieving business growth through the power of relationships. He is an international keynote speaker and author of Relationology 101.
