In the musical Hamilton, (a musical based on the book by the same name that focuses on the life of Alexander Hamilton), Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton talk about the legacy of the late General Mercer. They are thinking about what their own legacies will be, and Hamilton's attempt to gain approval from Congress for his proposed new financial system.
Their discourse is interrupted when Hamilton is escorted away from Burr mid-conversation to attend a secret dinner table meeting. In that meeting, deals are made, and agreements are reached that have a hand, indirectly, in changing the trajectory of Burr’s life.
From there, in the musical, Burr’s character launches into a diatribe via a song entitled “The Room Where It Happens” while Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison are staged behind him “making a deal”. Burr laments about how he wants to be invited into the room where decisions are being made. He wants influence, access and connections.
Burr belts out the haunting lyrics..
"No one really knows how the game is played, the art of the trade, how the sausage gets made. We just assume that it happens, but no one else is in The Room Where it Happens."
Burr’s character is a jerk and his motivation for being included is rooted in envy.
BUT.
He’s not wrong.
There are meetings, conversations and discussions happening about your industry, projects, opportunities, collaborations or thought leadership may not necessarily include you. When I was in Corporate America, I learned very quickly that most deals are made way before parties meet to finally sign the contract. There has been pre-discussion, concessions, prior meetings and other rooms….where it really happens.
Where is the key to the door of that room? How do you, an aspiring mogul, get to those levels of connections, influence and access?
I have a few strategies that have helped open some of these doors for me. Every key may not open the door that you need, but in principle you can use my strategies and modify them to meet your needs. But first..let's look at why and what?
WHY
Unpack your motives. As mentioned above, Burr’s desire to gain influence was in direct relation to what he saw in Hamilton’s rise from obscurity to notoriety. But this can’t be about anyone else. This can’t be about proving something to anyone but you. If you want influence, access and a network of connections, be honest about why and reconcile those intentions before pursuing further. Make certain that your drive to build your net worth, your wealth and your businesses are connected to your legacy and not someone else’s lane.
WHAT
Be clear about what you are seeking to accomplish. That 10.00 question that I ask every client, “what do you want?” is applicable here as well. Do you want mentors? Do you want opportunities? Do you want to work with certain businesses? Do you want to expand your scope of services? What “room” are you trying to enter?
Now that you have determined the room, let’s talk about how to get in. First, who is in there and how did THEY do it? You can learn how to glean access by modeling (not COPYING) people who have done it before you. Who are they friends with? What are their hobbies? What events do they attend? Why do people listen to them? Who do you know that can open the door for YOU? Use these answers to begin filling in the blanks to build a game plan for yourself.
Change the game. If you show up in the same places, doing the same things, you will see the same people, in the same circles. In order to make new connections you simply need to show up in new places. It could be as simple as shopping at a different grocery store or joining a local community organization. Or it could mean traveling more or even learning to play golf. You DO know that million-dollar deals are made on the golf course, right?
GIVE
Keep in mind that movers and shakers are also usually givers. They give of their time and resources to support causes that matter to them. Building a cadence of philanthropy which could include volunteering, donations, sponsoring events and being present to support their events, puts you in the space of like-minded people. It also puts you in the most important room of all, one where you are changing the lives of others.
Last, but certainly not least, my most effective and consistent strategy has been to build my own room, create my own door and leave it propped open as I create the opportunities I seek.
I’ll give you an example.
In my area, every seminar, webinar, conference and expo featured the same pick of around 20 people on the roster to speak.
Instead, I built a different room and created my own opportunities. I shifted my desire from being a voice in my region, to being an international voice in my industry...
Literally, every line up looked the same and if you have heard their spiels once, you have heard them a thousand times! Here I am a global speaker, speaking in Canada, London and Paris, but can’t get a gig at home in Detroit? It was SO odd. I wasn't jealous, because I was speaking in other places and knocking it out of the park. But, I was really bewildered and wanted to be a part of the conversations that were being had in and about my own area. I applied for local TEDx events and other Michigan conferences to little or no avail. Again, just odd.
Finally, my brilliant assistant said, "uh, Ms. Camille, why don’t we ignore this entire market? The world is bigger than Detroit"...and then she just shrugged like the solution was obvious and I stood there blinking.
Gasp. And that's why she gets paid the big bucks.
Sure enough, we switched strategies and all of a sudden, I was speaking in Houston, Toronto, Orlando, Nashville, Chicago and more. On average, I began traveling 2-3 times a MONTH and getting more influential opportunities than I would have ever gotten within the confines of my own region. Had I waited for someone to “open a door for me” I would still be waiting. Instead, I built a different room and created my own opportunities. I shifted my desire from being a voice in my region, to being an international voice in my industry.
Now, I don't wait for someone to decide to include me. I made my own room and I am meticulous to always make IT the room where it happens. I did it for me. Let CDJ & Associates, do it for you.
“When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game. But you don't get a win unless you play in the game. Oh, you get love for it, you get hate for it. You get nothing if you, wait for it…” —The Room Where It Happens, Hamilton
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