Press Room
Published in publication, “Compass Chat” 2008
Are you working without a net?
Networking Quiz
Please answer YES or NO to the following questions:
- Do you view internal company events and meetings as relationship-building opportunities?
- When you arrange to attend company events, do you have a goal in mind?
- Before attending a company event, have you thought about questions to ask and/or something interesting to say in advance?
- In preparation for a company event, have you considered how you might introduce yourself to others?
- Do you make notes immediately after events you attend to help remember ways to follow-up and/or respond to inquiries?
If you answered, YES to all of the questions above, you have developed some key relationship-building and networking skills.
When fishing would you rather use a rod or a net? You might respond with, “It depends on the kind of fish.” Those who choose a rod take chances on their own skill, the bait/lure, the water conditions, and the fish. Those who choose a net often accelerate their chances of catching more fish, but may not get the one particular fish they are after. Just as with fishing, when networking it is important to choose the right tools to ensure success.
In today’s business environment, one of the important tools for both women and men is networking competency. In fact, it is often said that to achieve success, “It is who you know rather than what you know.” Those with strong professional and social ‘nets’ find themselves at the center of new developments (information/knowledge and skills) as well as getting boosts to their visibility, reputation, and leads for new business opportunities.
Do women and men differ in how and where they network?
A recent Harvard Business Review article, “How Star Women Build Portable Skills.” Describes how men develop internal networks while women cultivate external ones out of necessity. Four factors contribute to women’s focus external rather than internal networks.
- There are fewer women in leadership positions with whom women can network and interact.
- Women are cautious about forming close relationships with male colleagues for fear of giving the appearance of impropriety.
- Women receive inadequate access to internal mentors in male-dominated cultures.
- Women assume more “family” responsibilities and may not have as much access to traditional male bonding outlets after work such as sporting events, happy hours, etc.
To counter these factors, women more often build relationships within external groups, with customers and former mentors. Yet, since organizations want to recruit, retain, and develop top talent within organizations, it is important for supervisors and managers to help women and men develop effective internal networks.
What are the benefits of social and professional networks?
There are practical reasons for and uses of internal networks. Consider that networking helps employees to:
* Learn and align with the strategic direction of the organization.
* Do away with silos and expand learning across departmental boundaries.
* Collaborate across departmental or functional lines to solve problems.
* Expand knowledge base and rounding up talent.
* Find expertise.
* Know who to go to for resources (expertise, talent, technology, funding, etc.).
* Tap the grapevine.
While these reasons are important, the most valuable aspect of both social and professional networks is for professional advancement. Without a network of allies and advocates, many employees lack visibility and fail to get noticed. Networking provides a safety net…internal contacts are often the ones who identify jobs opportunities, provide connections, serve as promotion references and make recommendations for key assignments.
In addition, a recent article in the Academy of Management Journal claims that successful managers are skilled networkers and spend 70 percent more time networking than their less successful counterparts. Networking leaders know how to access the people, information, and resources needed for creating solutions and opportunities. The best leaders and managers also know how to develop and coach new and aspiring employees to network effectively.
What are the steps to networking effectively?
Professional networks are one of the best ways to grow your network. But if you attend meetings without a clear strategy, you may end up merely watching other people network and wondering why you gave up your valuable time. Before attending your next social or professional meeting ask the following five questions:
What is your goals?
One of the first and most common mistakes that people make when entering a networking situation (planned or otherwise) is to fail to have a goal in mind. Are you looking to acquire new prospects, meet colleagues for possible collaborations, create a mutual referral partnership, create name recognition for you and your business, find funding or just "shop around" for interesting news and trends you can use? Take time to determine what your goals are for the encounter. If you are attending an event made up primarily of others in your industry, and you want to expand your thinking or find out the latest, greatest technology in the field, then you're definitely going to be in the right place.
Consider who will attend the event and how many contacts you want to make. Remember quality rather than quantity. If this is a planned event, find out who will be attending and isolated a few key people you definitely want to meet. Avoid going in blind and winging it. It is best to identify who will be at the meeting and ask why they are there…this should give you ideas about topics to talk about…
What is your story?
Do you have an "elevator speech" or 15-second intro that is clear, concise, to the point and compelling, or do people's eyes glaze over before you get to the end? This is not the time to give a dry and deadly-dull job description. When someone asks about you and your work, you are being given a golden, but brief, opportunity to express yourself, make a good impression, and leave them wanting more. Make sure to leave your sales pitch at home! Networking is networking, and sales is sales.
Are you prepared?
Make sure that you have everything you need to make a good impression. Make sure you have business cards easily accessible and don't forget to double-check the time, date and venue. Nothing is more irritating than showing up only to find that you're too early, too late or unable to find a parking space closer than a quarter-mile away.
How will you initiate conversations?
One of the first considerations is when and how you will enter the event and/or meeting. It is best to arrive early, observe for a few minutes and then begin mingling with your goals in mind. Depending on the meeting you might have an opportunity to talk with five to ten different people.
- Ask good questions and listen more than you talk
- Get the other person talking
- Remember you generally get what you ask for… question comes from the Latin word “to search for.” You are seeking out good information and memorable moments
- Encourage others to:
- See your thinking
- Share more of who they are (good information to catalogue for later use)
- Engage others by:
- Planting new ideas or perspectives
- Affirming the value of others and their ideas
- Having fun
- Ask a question, voice an opinion, or state a fact about the event, the other person or yourself
- Make note of what you can offer of value (referrals, articles, information, etc.)
- Circulate (avoid getting stuck)
How will you follow up?
The most important part of networking happens after the initial contact. No matter who said what about calling whom, always follow up promptly and in a manner designed to strengthen the relationship and add value for the other person. The follow-up message can be an email, phone call, or note. Keep in mind that you wan the follow through to:
- Refer to your original conversation, restating any key points and reaffirming any agreements that were made. Follow through on any promises you made to deliver information, provide samples, initiate a meeting, put through a request.
- Respond as promptly or frequently as the circumstance warrants, but don't turn into a stalker or a pest. And if you can find a way to add value to the relationship through your skills, influence, position or connections, by all
means offer to do so, but don't cross the line. - Unless it is clear that no further relationship is warranted or desired, make sure that there is some agreement on a next step or arrangement made to continue the conversation.
What etiquette principles should you keep in mind?
- Be genuine and yourself.
- Listen, listen, and listen some more.
- Listen – people are valued when they are heard
- Follow-up on topics they introduce – Listen
- Demonstrate interest in others – listen
- Be impeccably polite online and off.
- Give as graciously and at least as often as you receive.
- You know how they say you should never talk about politics, religion, and sex with strangers? Remember this in your networking.
- Show genuine interest in others. A simple, "how are your kids?" or "how was your vacation?" will go a long way in laying a foundation for a wonderful business networking relationship.
- Do not speak badly of others - not ever, even if everyone else is doing it
- How can I help you perspective
- Ask if you can include the person on your networking list
- Give a short and sweet elevator speech
- Make note of what you might provide to them
Resources:
www.quintcareers.com/womens_networking_organizations.html
www.iVillage.com
www.BellaOnline.com
www.wildwe.com
Baber, Anne "Uncovering the Unconnected Employee". T + D. May 2008. FindArticles.com. 20 Aug. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5366/is_200805/ai_n25501308
How Star Women Build Portable Skills 
Boris Groysberg
Length: 9p |
Publication Date: February, 2008 |