If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.

Although I never met David Rockefeller, he certainly would have fit in this category. When he passed away in March 2017 at the age of 101, Bloomberg News revealed that he had an “electronic Rolodex” of 150,000 people. The Wall Street Journal recently reported it was 200,000. He was a master networker during his two decades as the head of Chase Manhattan Bank and 60 years of being involved with the Council on Foreign Relations.

In my corporate speeches, I often ask the question: What is one of the most important words in the English language? I add that if all of us understood this word just a little bit better, we’d be way more successful than we already are. That word is “Rolodex,” which of course is now referred to as a "contact management system."

My father, Jack Mackay, who for 35 years headed the Associated Press in St. Paul, Minnesota, shared his secret with me when I was 18. He said, “Harvey, every single person you meet the rest of your life should go in your Rolodex file. Write a little bit about that person on the bottom or the back of the card. And now, here’s the key -- find a creative way to keep in touch.”

That’s what I’ve been doing ever since. I now have nearly 20,000 names in my electronic Rolodex file, a far cry from David Rockefeller, but still crucial to my career. The contacts I’ve made over all these years are why I’ve been writing this nationally syndicated column for the last 24 years.

My Rolodex was instrumental in launching my publishing career. Let me explain. In 1988, there were roughly 2 million “wannabes” -- people who wrote manuscripts. Roughly 200,000 books got published. Of those, only a small percentage were business books. If you’re a first-time, unknown author like me and you write a business book, you want to get it published. But a work by a debut author would get a print run of 10,000 hardcover books, at most. That’s it. Tom Peters, “In Search of Excellence,” 10,000 copies; Ken Blanchard, “The One Minute Manager,” 7,500 books.

This is why it was so tough to get started. There were 5,000 bookstores back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, which means an average of only two books per store if they print 10,000 copies.

I had written a book titled “Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” I wanted the publisher to print a lot of books so they would promote it and not run out of copies. I scheduled a summit meeting with publisher William Morrow and Company -- the CEO, president and vice president of national sales. About 45 minutes into the meeting, I asked for the order. I said, “I would like you to seriously consider printing 100,000 hardcover copies of ‘Swim With the Sharks.’" We were on the 37th floor, and they basically told me to jump. The VP of national sales closed his notebook and said, “Thank you very much, Mr. Mackay. Obviously, we’re not going to get together.” Then he basically screamed, “Who are you coming in here asking for 100,000 copies? We only print 10,000 copies for any first-time unknown author.”

I’d brought in two humongous briefcases and took them out. Inside were two huge Rolodex files, 6,500 names at the time. I started to go through them: “Pillsbury, 18,000 employees. We do business with them. Maybe they’ll read the book and pass it along. General Mills, 23,000 employees; Cargill; 3M; here’s American Express.” I went to the second Rolodex file. “We do business in six countries, France, Germany, Spain ... maybe it’ll be an international best-seller.”

Three weeks and three meetings later, William Morrow published 100,000 hardcover copies of “Swim With the Sharks.” And it became a New York Times No. 1 best-seller.

Did I know when I was 18 where my contacts were going to come from? Do any of you know where your contacts will come from five, 10 or 15 years from now?

Our lives basically change in two ways -- the people we meet and the books we read. Trust me; the people you meet every day are extremely important in building your network.

In my entire career, I have never once heard a successful person say he or she regretted putting time and energy into keeping their Rolodex file.

Mackay’s Moral: When you work on your network, your network works for you.

A new year often brings new beginnings. I was intrigued to discover how one company used a novel way to motivate employees to think about new ways of doing things.

Here is the approach practiced by Chiyoji Misawa, who founded the largest home builder in Japan, Misawa Homes, more than 50 years ago. He “died” at least once every decade to combat the solidification of outmoded methods and thinking. He sent a memo to his company that formally announced “the death of your president.”

According to Robert H. Waterman Jr. in his book “The Renewal Factor,” this was Misawa’s way of getting his company to question everything. When his employees would resist change, Misawa would declare: “That was the way things were done under Mr. Misawa. He is now dead. Now, how shall we proceed?”

I was particularly interested in this novel idea because so often the resistance to major changes starts at the top. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But that thinking doesn’t apply to improvements. Simply because things are sailing along, assuming that the winds won’t change is dangerous business. When I went into the envelope manufacturing business decades ago, the notion of email and the internet were pretty much science fiction. Yet it became one of the biggest challenges that an envelope manufacturer could face.

Being a great leader is not always about becoming an expert at everything -- it’s really about knowing where to find knowledge and expertise when you need it. That’s where Misawa’s genius was most evident: knowing how to solicit input and gain perspective from his own connections.

In turn, he encouraged his work force to learn how others approach new markets, revamp processes and resolve problems. Giving his employees the opportunity to offer their suggestions served several purposes: acknowledging their value to the company, encouraging them to think ahead and teaching them not to be afraid of change.

Change is inevitable, and those who embrace it are more likely to have staying power as each new year rings in.

New Year’s resolutions tend to focus on areas that we know need a change. Make those resolutions too general or too sweeping, and chances are they will be your resolutions year after year. Alan C. Freitas, president of Priority Management, recommends that you write resolutions/goals that are SMART:

Specific -- Decide precisely what you want to achieve, and by when;

Measurable -- Know what a successful outcome would look like;

Attainable -- Make your goals challenging, but achievable;

Relevant -- Address areas of your work and life that are really important to you;

Trackable -- Figure out how you’re going to gauge your progress.

Getting into the right mindset to make changes, large or small, takes some motivation.

Figure out why you want to achieve the goal. Make a list of all the ways you will benefit from achieving it. Whether it’s a personal goal, like finishing a degree, or a professional change, such as breaking into a new market, you need to understand why it will be worth it to make a change.

Then analyze exactly where you are now in reaching that goal: the strengths that will help you, the weaknesses that could hurt you, and the opportunities you can use to attain what you want.

Next, you must determine what you’ll need to invest to achieve your goal. Whether it’s time, money or something else, know what reaching this goal could “cost” you. Is it worth it? If it’s important enough to you, sacrifices will pay off in the end. Just make sure that you have an end in sight!

Do your research. You may need to master new abilities to fulfill your resolution. Will you need to take classes to learn a new skill? What kind of information do you need access to? Are you willing to carve out the time it will require? You don’t want to start something that you are not committed to finishing.

Look for support from family, friends, co-workers, managers or organizations that can help you. The more people who you share your resolutions or goals with, the more likely you will be to follow through on them.

You will have more success if you set deadlines for achieving your goals and resolutions. List specific dates on which you want to complete the various steps of the plan.

Finally, resolve to make it a happy new year!

Mackay’s Moral: You don’t have to “die” like Misawa to bring your dreams to life.

A little girl asked to see the president of a large company. She explained that her club was raising money and asked if he would contribute.

Smiling, he laid a quarter and a dollar bill on his desk and said, “Take whichever one you want.”

The little girl said, “My mother taught me to take the smallest piece, but I’ll take this piece of paper to wrap it in so I won’t lose it.” Smart kid.

Fundraising is one of those necessary tasks that helps great causes and scares people silly, all at the same time.

Even when needs are great, asking for money is a daunting prospect. I’ve been involved in a variety of deserving organizations. The story is the same, time after time. Volunteers eagerly fill the other committees, but the work can’t even get started until someone brings in the support.

That is why I see fundraising as a terrific opportunity.

First and foremost, the organization benefits because you have a chance to put your cause out in front of people who might be able to help, or know someone you can contact. It may take more than one appeal, so laying the groundwork is an important first step.

Second, you benefit because you can practice your sales skills in an environment that will open doors to people you might not otherwise have contact with. You learn to handle rejection gracefully, an essential skill that every successful salesperson must master. And as with any selling proposition, you get better as you practice your presentation.

While there’s no magic formula for attracting support, there are some guidelines that you should follow.

Your enthusiasm must be palpable and contagious. After you’ve made the same pitch dozens of times, you must be careful not to get stale.

Make an appointment to personalize your request and present the project to its best advantage while respecting other people’s time and interests. Doing your homework about the people you meet with is essential. Have printed material available, even if it’s a simple fact sheet.

Remember your manners. First, you say please. Then, regardless of the reply, you say thank you. Publicly acknowledge those who supported the project, whether in an annual report, plaque or naming opportunity.

Whether you are raising a thousand dollars for a local school or millions for a new hospital wing, these rules apply. Believe me, I’ve asked many people for large sums of money, and they are still my friends because I am respectful of their time and circumstances.

One of the most successful fundraising efforts I have been involved with is Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, which was established to promote ongoing efforts to eliminate sickness and poverty, supporting such institutions as the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.

My friend Jimmy Walker founded this phenomenal organization more than 20 years ago, and working with executive director Sean Currie, he has grown CFN from a one-night, star-studded event in Phoenix to now include a separate five-night gala in Italy.

I was privileged to join in the spectacular Italian event earlier this fall. After performing at a Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, tenor Andrea Bocelli was inspired to gather a who’s who of international celebrities. One of the highlights for me was a limited-seating concert in the Roman Colosseum featuring Bocelli, Elton John and Steven Tyler. Other megastars that performed during the week included Reba McEntire, Brooks and Dunn, David Foster, Smokey Robinson, Kristin Chenoweth, and the list goes on, all benefiting the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and Barrow Neurological Institute.

Together, these events have raised more than $142 million.

Did Jimmy Walker dream that Celebrity Fight Night would grow to these proportions? Of course! He got these amazing results because he is a spectacular leader. He is the epitome of palpable and contagious enthusiasm.

Granted, this is not your everyday fundraiser. Not every cause will generate this kind of attention, but all successful campaigns have one feature in common: excellent leadership.

Ted J. Kort, author of “Outside the Box Fundraising: The Way to Nonprofit Board Success,” says, “Fundraising begins with good relationships. Good relationships are essential for success: between board members and staff, staff and donors.”

So, before you attach your name to an organization, check out the leadership and the board. If you find that you aren’t able to get behind the cause or the group, have no fear. There’s always another group looking for your help!

Mackay’s Moral: Think of fundraising as friend-raising, and the appeal will be much easier.