Today’s guest hopes your community ties are strong as they are a great indicator of your health and success. He deeply believes in the power of building social capital. For the last 15 years, he has been strengthening communities by connecting diverse individuals and organizations through civic engagement initiatives. He does this through Social Capital Inc., an organization he founded in 2002.His resume is filled with over 25 years of leadership experience. He was Executive Director of Generations Incorporated, which under his leadership grew into a national model for intergenerational programming. He also started and directed the Kentucky Community Service Commission, a state entity appointed by the Governor responsible for AmeriCorps and other service programs.As Founder and President of Social Capital Inc., he has helped them grow into a national leader - exploring how communities can systematically, intentionally, weave stronger social fabrics connecting its members. Pilot programs in three Massachusetts cities proved so successful that they are now replicating their proven model and civic networking tools in communities across the state.Please join me in welcoming David Crowley.Would you leave an honest rating and review on iTunes? Or Stitcher? They are extremely helpful and I read each and every one of them. Thanks for the inspiration!On the Schmooze is on C-Suite Radio.Listen to our show and many other greatbusiness podcasts at C-SuiteRadio.com.In this episode we explore:how he views leadership: “Leaders are the bridge between ideas and actions.” This was taught to him by his mentor.questioning whether to scale his organization - “Sometimes we forget the personal trade-offs we make as leaders."figuring out what you aren’t good at, avoiding the tendency to hire people like ourselves, and creating a balanced team.engaging youth in service and leadership projects to help them harness their passion for improving their community.strategic use of Twitter prior to and during conferences to build a connection.Stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear what I thought were the key takeaways you could put into practice this week and benefit from for years to come.LINKSDavid Crowley on LinkedIn and TwitterSocial Capital Inc - website and Twitterwww.cookingchatfood.com - David’s passion projectBooks mentioned in this episode:“Bowling Alone” by Robert Putnam“Community: The Structure of Belonging” by Peter BlockContactually - still looking for a way to keep track of your contacts and strategically stay connected? This powerful CRM may be just what you need. Check it out with a free trial. Let me know if you do and I’ll help you get set up for success.Do you host a conference or convention and want your attendees to feel that your event was incredibly valuable because of all the connections they made?I work with associations and companies to design events that increase engagement and create a welcoming culture for all attendees, especially your first-time attendees. The result is that long-time attendees, presenters, and board members have a host mentality and all attendees have the tools to strategically build relationships and their professional network at your event. If you want to increase ROI for your attendees and therefore their retention, email me to schedule a call.Is networking an important, but your least favorite, part of your job?My coaching clients felt the same way. Through a combination of technical tips, accountability, and a bit of inspiration, I help leaders stop wasting time networking and start building great relationships. If that is what you’re looking for I would love to chat, email me to schedule a call.Stay Connected:Interested in booking me to speak? Learn about my Art of the Schmooze session on effective and inclusive networking, and the other sessions I offer