What Business Development REALLY Means, According to Mike Duffy

Mo asks Mike Duffy: What is your personal definition of business development?

Simply put, business development is helping others, connecting dots, and developing healthy and long lasting relationships.
When you understand who your client is, whoever that happens to be in the moment, and add value for them, that's how you get stuff done.
Where is the value chain and how are you adding value? It doesn't end with the person you are talking to right now.
Servant leadership is the foundation for Mike's relationship philosophy. He's always asking himself internally about how he can be helpful to not only his client, but also his client's clients.
When you ask the right questions, you get some interesting answers. Questions allow you to understand what motivates and drives someone, what concerns them, and what brings them joy. When you're in a dot-connecting mode, all of that info helps you know who to link up.
Helping people when there is no chance of commercial gain is your moment of truth. Connecting dots for people is how you leave a legacy.
It's worth the fight. Choose your attitude every day and build your resilience over time so you can keep pushing forward.
If your definition of business development is helping people, getting a no every once in a while is not an issue.

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