What are magic moments? I think they are the events or encounters that show each of us how we, as human beings, are connected.

For me, one was the recent splash landing of the airliner on the Hudson River with 150 people aboard. Everyone got out safely because everyone involved - pilot, crew, passengers, boat operators, emergency responders - did the right thing and did it for the right reasons.

Another instance was on 9/11. I had flown into New York that morning and was trying to make my way to our office in Manhattan, walking down Second Avenue from the 60's to 42nd Street against a sea of people walking uptown away from the location of the twin towers. It was an orderly procession, the people had a look of quiet determination. Shop owners were handing out water bottles to strangers. There were cops on every corner, not in a display of force, but in service. The day was a testament to the strength and determination of a people united.

But it's not the big events that create most of those magic moments. It's the small personal encounters that bring a tear to your eye and a lump to your throat. It's the moments that resonate with you when you truly "understand" how you are connected and how important it is to you. It's not something that can be put easily into words, it's something you know but you can't describe. When you experience it with another person, you can see it in their eyes. It's as if you can see a fleeting reflection of the meaning of life. Then, all too quickly, it passes.

What I have discovered is that these moments can't be created, they can only be discovered. It's only by opening yourself to the possibilities that they appear. That's the magic part! Take a few minutes right now to think about your own magic moments.

Years ago I learned a strategy that effectively counters those requests to lower your price. Simply offer to reduce the scope to meet the price the customer has demanded. In the construction business, when someone requested a change on a project, the mantra was: "Cost, Schedule, Scope - pick two." We could hold the line on two, but the third had to change. It could just as easily be "Cost, Quantity, Quality" or any three factors that are most important in your transactions.

Find out from your customer what is driving their decision and you'll be able to rework the equation in a way that will satisfy both you and your customer.

The combination of more people out of work and less work being done leaves a lot of people with time on their hands. It has also resulted in more people needing the services that charities provide. Volunteering is a worthwhile way to spend that time and you will meet some people just like you - people who are ready, willing, and able to help. Isn't that what networking is all about?