Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in at work? Feel like you don’t belong in the same social circles you’ve had for years? First off, recognize these feelings are normal. You can outgrow people and places–and it’s okay. In some cases, it’s a sign that its time for you to find your tribe–”a group of like-minded people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea (Seth Godin).â€
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With the explosion of social media, connecting people with similar interests and increasing your digital footprint have become critical factors for success. Beyond connecting with like-minded people, a tribe can help you build influence as a thought leader. This group can help you find the courage to take action on your ideas. And a tribe can even help you on those days when you feel like you’re not good enough. But cultivating those relationships doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll have to step outside of your comfort zone and contact people you don’t know. You’ll have to be consistent and you’ll have to contribute to groups and add value.
So how do you go about finding, building, and maintaining your tribe? Check out a few actionable tips below:
Find and Connect With Your Tribe
As Seth Godin  states, a group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate. So, what are you really passionate about? Set your intention to build mutually beneficial relationships with a network inside and outside of your industry or workplace.
- Search online social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Periscope to follow people of interest. On Linkedin, you can search via specific topics. On Twitter, you can use tools such as Twitonomy or Simply Measured.
- Connect with followers and  industry influencers by reading and sharing their articles, commenting on their updates, and engaging in conversation.
- Participate in Twitter Chats to share your perspectives. Twitter chats are moderated discussions that use a relevant hashtag for a certain topic (e.g., #Twitter Chat, #BEBizCHat). Twitter chats are also great ways for boosting your online visibility.
- Join clubs, organizations, creative cooperative workspaces or meetups and attend hackathons or industry-related conferences. Remember networking isn’t solely tied to your career. So if you love to cook, dance or exercise, find activities in your local area and seek to establish connections that way.
Maintain and Grow Your Tribe
- Seek to become a super connector — Networking isn’t solely about you. When you meet someone, think, ‘How can I connect this person with someone who can help them?’ Read more: The Rise of the SuperConnector
- Organize an event for people with mutual interests and create an opportunity for people to have long-lasting connections.
- Market your expertise by writing your own articles and publishing your post on LinkedIn, personal blog or any other related online news outlet.
- Share your experiences or point of view regarding an event via live video streaming channels, such as Periscope, Facebook live, Blab or Snap Chat.
- Support your tribe at on and offline events — You’d be surprised how far you can advance your career by simply supporting the causes of others.
- Start a Facebook groups to connect with like-minded people, and establish yourself as an expert. When you join groups, you’ll get notifications about new posts. Be sure to join the conversation by sharing your experiences or asking group member questions.