Last night I tried a new thing. It came from me asking this question:

"How might I meet each of these new people, give them the attention they deserve and stay efficient and focused on my own goals?"

Over the past couple of months, I've been introduced to new people. These introductions have been made by a range of people I know and respect. Some looking for advice, employment, collaboration and lots of interesting stuff in between. I think that relationships are absolutely vital to building ideas and making change happen so I take making and receiving introductions very seriously. Regardless of who you are and what you are capable of you will achieve more with a tribe. Your power multiplies with every single person you meet and build a relationship with.

“Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals who can go it alone.”

— Margaret Wheatley

There is also a group of people who I already know and have been trying to meet for months but we never quite seem to make it. I wondered if I could bring the two together and create a way for these people to meet each other.

Since 2008, I've designed and curated several different events and ways to bring people together such as Women of Scotland, Nightriders, The Snook Ensemble and Snook Soiree. It's an activity that has always brought me joy as well as professional and personal rewards like new projects and new friendships.

This time there was no theme. There was no facilitation. I invited 17 people. 10 people joined me in a bar to have a drink and get to know each other.

I sent this email before hand.

I'm really looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow evening. It's a little experiment to test a different way of meeting new people and bringing people I've been introduced to together. Some of you are people I've been trying to meet up with for too long and others I've never met ;)

There is no theme and it will be very informal - let's have a drink and see how it goes. I know I could do with a drink and some new faces after today's news!

I've put together a wee list below of who you all are but I'm tempted not to look into it too much and find out for myself in person :)

Bye for now,

Lauren

Bethany Frank who does social design things
Lewis Greener who does facilitation stuff with young people
Florian Grossman who is studying a Masters of Design at Ravensbourne
Holly Royce who does digital editorial things
Iria Lopez who does service design for public sector stuff
Kenny Temowo who works with young people at City Year
Louise Mushett does service design and innovation stuff for Macmillan
Mary Jane Boholst who helps introverts run their businesses better
Matt Carreau does service design stuff for Future Cities Catapult
Sara Leth Ottosen does stuff with entrepreneurs at Venture Scout
Steven Currie does a range of innovation type work
Mursal Hedyat is a year here fellow doing interesting things
Chris Watson is building a zoo that's also a school
Ed Crowley is doing service design things with charities

I made name badges for everyone and every now and again we changed seats. That was it.

On the way out I asked everyone one question: "should I do this again?" Everyone said "yes". I will do it again. You should try it too (feel free to copy my email) Who are you bringing together and why?