Last week on Veteranโs Day, we honored those who previously served in the military. Not all veterans serve in the military, however.
A veteran is defined as โa person who has significant experience in a particular occupation or field.โ
Anyone with significant experience or expertise in any line of work might be an asset to your organization. They might be directly related to the industry you are in, like a competitor or industry leader. They might also be outside of your industry but specialize in a service that you need. Examples of these might include a business consultant, an attorney or a marketing specialist.
Regardless of who they are, how do you tap into their expertise to benefit your organization? How do you develop a relationship to where you could call them almost anytime, ask them any question, and get a well thought out, honest response?
There are a few ways to accomplish this, some are more expensive than others.
A great option is to become friends with them. Friends want to help each other, and often they are willing to help each other for free. If they are in your same industry, another good option is to ask them to mentor you. Most professionals are honored to be asked to mentor someone. If they do not have time, they might connect you to someone who can.
Another option is to join a peer advisory group, or mastermind group. Be sure their members are the types of veteran professionals you need. These peer advisory groups can be local in your community, or national and even international.
Is it possible to hire the veteran as a vendor or even an employee? You never know unless you ask. Do not forsake asking an important question because you assume the answer will be โno.โ
Finally, look at yourself for a moment. Maybe you are a veteran in someone elseโs eyes? What do you have that you can share to benefit others?
