Quote Originally Posted by Mary B. View Post
Catherine, I think a sense of obligation is one possibility, but not the only one. Here's a couple more. 1. The person you were talking to was reminded of you through the conversation -- "I like this person! And hey, doesn't she do market research? And hey, Friend was looking for someone to do that!" 2. The person you were speaking to was reminded that you someone who cared about other people -- enough that you have some idea of what a former colleagues' daughter is doing quite specifically, when a lot of people might have no idea that a former colleague had
a daughter -- and thought, "This is the kind of person I want to recommend to my friend."

I think quid pro quo arrangements are common most places, but as much as anything it's about strengthening ties in a network and coming to see each other a little differently, rather than a this-for-that obligation.
Thanks for your observations, Mary. You're right--maybe I made too much of the cultural connection. I think the whole notion of reciprocity is interesting. How obligated do you feel as a recipient? How expectant are you as a giver that your kindness will be returned in some form?