It's Time To Find 12 New People

Editor's Note: This is a continuation of our core conversation on "Great Connections Lead to Great Ideas." Yesterday, Jenny Blake showed us how to have a creative day of genius. Today, Pam Slim challenges us to discover what's beyond our "regular".

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I go to the same Starbucks every day, right after I drop my kids off at school. It sees a fair amount of traffic, since it sits on a busy corner on the way to the freeway. Here in Arizona in the summer, it is so hot that you can get blisters on your hand if you touch a car handle that has been sitting in the direct sun. So I often use the drive through when I want to avoid heat stroke. Pulling up to the window, I say (always) “May I please have a Venti Nonfat Latte?” I would assume that this is a fairly standard order, especially early in the morning. And I would assume that as one of many hundreds of suburban Anglo moms that order through that window, my voice would not sound terribly unique. But one day, someone said “Sure Pam, anything else?” At that point, I knew I had become a “regular.” A regular has perks, like still getting my drink on days I forget my wallet. And not having to order when I come into the store, because as soon as they see me, they start making my Venti Nonfat Latte. I love being a regular. Being a regular feels warm, safe and familiar.

In our circles of connections, we also get quite comfortable with the "regulars."

We read a certain set of blogs, and banter back and forth on Twitter or Facebook with a set group of friends. We often reference the same set of authors and experts. What if, as part of our practice of building community in a given year, we ventured out to find twelve previously undiscovered wonderful people that no one in our "regular" networks knows? What would happen if one day, instead of going to my corner Starbucks, I went to a new little independent shop and ordered a different drink? I bet all kinds of good things, and ideas, would come of it. More about Pam: Pamela Slim is a seasoned coach and writer who helps frustrated employees in corporate jobs break out and start their own business. Her blog, Escape from Cubicle Nation, is one of the top career and marketing blogs on the web. A former corporate manager and entrepreneur herself for more than a decade, she deeply understands the questions and concerns faced by first-time entrepreneurs. Pam’s book Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur was released in Spring, 2009 and won Best Small Business/Entrepreneur Book of 2009. Pam is frequently quoted as an expert on entrepreneurship in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, & Psychology Today. Pam is married with three kids and lives in Mesa, Arizona.

Tomorrow we hear from Liz Marshall on how we can make way for great ideas and deeper connections.