Strategies for More Productive Networking

Have you ever left a networking event feeling like you’ve been assaulted? It’s an awful feeling to be smothered in schmooze, or dealt flying business cards ala drive-by style, or product dumped-on.  All of this by people you don’t even know!  It’s our civic and professional responsibility to stop the madness before it goes any farther!

Let’s get back to basics, shall we?  What’s the point of networking anyway?  Networking is about making meaningful connections with like-minded people.  It should not be viewed as isolated events, but rather a process of building relationships. 

If you get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about attending networking events, you need to connect with yourself first.  People typically behave in unusual ways when they’re uncomfortable or afraid of their environment…a.k.a. “assaulters”.  It definitely takes a respectable level of courage to walk into a room full of people you’ve never seen before and get involved.  I believe things go wrong when we go in with a preconceived notion of how we’re supposed to act instead of being who we are.   We’ve all heard it at one time or another…”just be yourself – everything will be fine.”  So – BE YOURSELF.  Understand how you best communicate and how you get your bearings in unfamiliar territory.  If you like to observe a situation before you jump in, then do that.  If you are more comfortable being introduced around a room, make arrangements in advance to have that happen.   Look for someone you’ve met before and break the ice with that person.  Your comfort level will rise as you acclimate to the situation.

Next, make sure you’re clear about your expectations.  Don’t put undue pressure on yourself or set unrealistic expectations for the outcome.  You’re setting yourself up for disaster and disappointment if you think you’re going to walk away from a networking event with new clients.   Networking is simply the venue, the forum, the opportunity to meet people and begin to build a relationship with them.  It’s up to us to decide which forums suit us and our situations the best, and to discern which relationships we are most interested in building.  This takes time, focus, a sincere interest in and curiosity about others, and a true appreciation for what it takes to earn another’s trust. 

Take some time to set your strategy for networking and devote time consistently to deepening relationships with people you’re connecting with.  You are creating an environment to foster referral business, which grows in value over time!

Showing Up

Did you ever consider how you’re showing up in your life and your business?  They’re connected, you know. 

A couple of weeks ago we talked about the ABC’s of Great Leadership.  How about the ABC’s of Having a Great Life and Business?  Authenticity, belief system and compassion are key components of living a fulfilled life and doing great work. 

Our lives begin in complete authenticity and freedom.  As children we make choices totally based on our own fulfillment.  And then the world happens to us, and we get conditioned to live based on other people’s choices for us.  It’s natural and has to happen to some degree to protect us and so that we can function in society.  At some point, though, we all have to reconnect with ourselves… rediscover ourselves… get back to the core of who we are and choose the beliefs that support the highest and best of ourselves.

I work with small business owners all the time who talk about potential – the business has potential, their staff has potential, this new idea has potential.  Reading between the lines of what isn’t being said, what I hear is “we could be successful if only…..”  I would be rich if only I could win the lottery Saturday night.  Does that kind of thinking help us confidently spring into action, or does it cause us to resist doing anything because we think we aren’t enough, don’t have enough and don’t believe enough to get it done? 

To be authentic and to show up that way, we need only to focus on now and recognize that we have everything we need at this moment to do what we can do today.  Then do it.  We are free to choose a belief system based our growing capacity instead of an “if only” potential mindset.  Show yourself some compassion – accept and love who you are.  You are the only person in the world who can do what you do in the way that you do it. 

When you can show up in your life and your business as the best YOU that you can be, the world will happen for you.

The ABC’s of Great Leadership

"Example is leadership." ~~ Albert Schweitzer

Take a look around our community and, like many other communities, you will see effects of the past few years’ economic conditions.  The question I’d like to pose to you today is how, under the financial stress of recent times, have some companies managed to not only stay alive, but to thrive?  Leadership is the key to what makes or breaks a company.

Having so recently lost one of our own great leaders, Steve Appleton, it’s natural to look at his example.  Micron has certainly not been exempt from hardship.  It’s how Mr. Appleton responded to hardship that made him a great leader.    How many business leaders do you know who have forfeited their own salaries for the good of the company?  That’s just one of a string of examples you could draw from in a discussion of Steve Appleton’s mettle as a leader.

What are the core qualities that separate great leaders from mediocre leaders?  Let’s call these the ABC’s of Great Leadership.

Authenticity:  Great leaders are real people first.  They are secure enough in who they are to surround themselves with talented people who are strong in areas they are weak in.  They lead by example and not a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality.  Great leaders roll up their sleeves and don’t expect their people do things they are not willing to do themselves.

Belief System:  Great leaders operate from a belief system based on integrity.  They know the right thing to do and they do it, even when it’s hard to do.  Great leaders engage in positive reinforcement and encouragement when times are tough.

Compassion:  Great leaders know that the strength of their organizations relies on the strength of their people.  They recognize that we are all people first, workers second.  Great leaders treat people with respect, compassion, courtesy and humanity in all situations.

Great leaders don’t profess to know everything, but they recognize that they have the capacity to learn the right things and assemble the right teams to get the job done.  Every challenge increases their capacity for greatness. 

Are you a great leader?  Do you have the capacity to be one?  Get clear on who you are, what you stand for and how you impact the other people in your organization.  Be the example you want your people to follow.

For a Big Impact on the Bottom Line, Invest in the Top

Climbing the corporate ladder usually results in good performers being promoted into management positions, or people striking out on their own.  In either case, people find themselves in charge of running the show and managing people without necessarily having the training or background to take on the new responsibilities effectively. 

Different skills are needed to motivate people, resolve conflict, translate strategies into action plans and evaluate performance.  These skills don’t come naturally to all people, nor are they developed quickly without guidance.  More and more companies are investing in executive coaching to shorten the learning curve and provide their key staff the tools they need to effectively transition into leadership positions.

When it comes to defining coaching, the International Coach Federation (ICF) states that coaching is about “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”   Coaches are trained to provide objectivity and accountability while building on individual and team strengths.  They provide resources in areas that need improvement.  In short, coaching promotes doing and doing impacts business results.

Studies conducted by leaders in organizational development have shown that companies realized significant improvements in productivity, organizational strength, bottom line profitability, customer service and quality, and reduced rates of staff turnover as results of executive coaching.  The value of coaching was considered far greater than the money and time invested.

Invest in your company’s leadership team and watch the bottom line grow!