Tap Into Your Network to Maximize Knowledge Sharing and Support

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of assisting with Emergenetics International’s first Associate Certification class in Washington DC. And while it was a great refresher for me in all things Emergenetics, at the end of the day what really resonated most was the importance of knowledge sharing and having a support community that you can tap into.

As these new Associates endeavor to become Certified, a process that can take anywhere from six weeks to six months after the initial class, their journey will include a large number of people serving in a support capacity and they’ll have access to a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise along the way. And it doesn’t just stop once a person is Certified. Associates are part of our family after all, and family sticks together.

At the risk of sounding too much like a commercial for Certification (although it truly IS an awesome experience), I’ll get to my point. Whether you are becoming a Certified Associate or not, you don’t go through the journey known as life alone. And the more you tap into the resources around you, the better off you’ll be.

It’s commonly said that you’re more likely to reach your goals when you have an accountability partner. And thinking about it from an Emergenetics perspective, I know I can yield a better output when I harness the strengths of those with preferences opposite of mine. We call this using a WEapproach, or harnessing the Power of We (Whole Emergenetics).

For example, I have preferences for Structural and Social thinking, and I often find myself in need of robust data and analytics (hello Austin Schneider!) or a brainstorming partner (thanks Mark Miller!). The beauty is, my co-workers and I are a WEteam, which means together we possess all of the Emergenetics attributes (to be fair we’re not a perfect WEteam since we are all in the 3^rd 3^rd of Flexibility, but otherwise our preferences are evenly distributed). By tapping into the brilliance of my co-workers’ brains, I can produce far better ideas, ones that I know are rooted in factual evidence, have practical applications, and make a positive impact on the people involved.

Throughout the Certification class, I was thrilled to see people from diverse backgrounds and various professional roles all come together, share information, and support each other. At the end of the week when we all went our separate ways, we made a point to connect on Emergenetics+ (our new mobile app), and we sent out a contact list of emails so that once we get back into our day-to-day, we still have a network of people that we can tap into anytime. I heard many people saying things like, “I’ll be in touch to get some of your green!”

It was such a great example of a support community and reinforced the importance of knowledge sharing. And it goes beyond just Emergenetics preferences (a great foundational level) since we all bring different life experiences and perspectives to each situation or challenge that we encounter.

The world is becoming more collaborative and virtual. It’s never been easier to create your own community of subject matter experts to serve as your own personal cheerleaders, optimizers, sounding board, or gatekeepers. Case in point, the Emergenetics+ app puts your Emergenetics Profile on your mobile device, and after connecting with the people you know, it gives you instant access to their Profile too, along with tailored interaction and communication tips. So the next time you’re in need of a little more Blue (i.e. someone with a preference for Analytical thinking), you can easily find someone and know the best way to work with them.

I’m excited by the amount of connectivity and potential for knowledge sharing that Emergenetics+ brings. More tangibly, I am eager to see how our newest Associates expand and bolster the Associate community. And I am more determined than ever to ensure I am seizing every opportunity to tap into my support community.