Over the last week or so I’ve been poring through the results of the Business & Practice Needs survey I asked my list to take and I must say the results have surprised me --- a lot. I thought I knew my audience pretty well, but as it turns out, I don’t. But that’s something I’ll write about later.

As an incentive to get more folks to complete the survey, I offered to send a special audio CD recording of an interview I did with my favorite organizer, Elizabeth Hagen. And, as it turns out, I’ve been nearly overwhelmed with the response. This is a good thing because the information I’m gleaning from this survey is very valuable.

Many would probably tell me I was foolish to do so, but I chose to hand write the shipping labels and greetings on each of the letters that accompany the CD. And yes, it has taken a good deal of my time, even though I do my best to keep up with them as the requests come in one by one.

The amazing thing I noticed, however, is the connection I felt with each person as I hand wrote their name and address.

While I’ve always felt like the folks who join my list are far more than just another name to send marketing materials to, it was while I was writing out those names and addresses that these people each became very real to me. It was as though, when I wrote their names, that we shared just a moment of heart connection. And it was a pretty powerful experience.

And it was through this process, and through the responses that I received on the survey, that I realized just how important it is to me to be part of a community of people who are all striving for a higher purpose through business. These are the people who inspire me to be the best I can be at what I’ve chosen to do.

So let me ask you this:

In what way are you making a personal connection with the members of YOUR community?