I love this sketch of me done by David Bamberg at today's talk!

I’ve had a great time today speaking to a group of business people in Magnolia, Texas about Rerferral Marketing and Relationship Bulding. The group meets at a place called Main Street Crossing with a HUGE projection screen and capacity for 200 people – a really nice venue. Being mid-summer and odd weather we had a moderate-sized but very responsive group.

As is often the case, the most interesting conversations occurred after the meeting. Several of us were sitting around getting an early lunch and talk turned to whether protected categories are a benefit or a detriment to networking groups.  To be totally honest I was a bit surprised myself by the candor with which I was taking the anti-protection position.  I’ve long held the opinion that having categories within relationship building (networking) groups fundamentally diminishes the potential of the organization and its benefit to members. I suspect that brushing up my presentation these last few days and then delivering it today had focused my mind on the need for abundance thinking and paying it forward. The very idea of establishing barriers to social intercourse through position exclusivity seems totally wrong headed.

What do you think? Closed categories  or open – which is better? Why?