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You have all heard the phrase “ you can’t judge a book by it’s cover” but the truth is that is exactly what we do. Human nature causes us to make quick judgements of others as a safety mechanism to keep us away from potentially dangerous persons or situations. This type of judgement can be good in certain situations, however when it comes to networking judging others can be detrimental.
When we network we have to overcome our tendency to only look at other people as potential clients or customers. This kind of approach not only limits our ability to build genuine relationships, it can also come across as self-centered and egotistical. If, however, we approach networking with a sincere desire to help those we meet instead of the “what’s in it for me” approach, things begin to change dramatically.
Everyone you meet has a challenge or situation that they are trying to resolve. When they express what they need, and you do your best to try to help them, the person feels valued and relationships begin to form. Once you establish that relationship of trust with an individual they will think about you if someone they know is in need of your particular product or services. Ultimately Networking isn’t only about getting to know the person in front of you, it’s getting to know them well enough that they will send their friends, family, and acquaintances to you because of your relationship with them.
There are two statements that we frequently use to describe ourselves; the first is “I am” and the other is “that’s just who I am”. When we use the phrase “I am” we can fill in the rest of the sentence with words that inspire us and help us to become what we want to be. When we say things like ” that’s just who I am” we convince ourselves that we are incapable of change and we base our actions on an opinion of ourselves that may or may not be true.
The problem with using statements like “ that’s just who I am” is that it places a barrier between where we are now and where we want to be. In order for us to truly become great at networking we may have to overcome some of our insecurities and weaknesses and go forward with boldness instead.
Einstein understood the power of the mind and the fact is that if you tell yourself something enough times, eventually you will believe it. With that knowledge it’s important for us to go into networking with a positive outlook and perception of ourselves and our profession. If we’re not where we want to be yet that’s okay. The only people who really fail are those who fail to try so keep focussed on your vision and tell yourself that you are who you aspire to be. As you do so you will overcome the things that hold you back and eventually become the person you always knew you could be.
In order for us to establish relationships of trust with our peers we really have to give them something that they need or value. In some rare cases the product or service you provide may actually be “the thing” someone needs however this will likely be an exception, not the rule. In most cases people just need a little bit of your time, a recommendation, advice, a referral, or direction. These are all things that each of us can provide however we have to figure out what the need is first.
The best way to figure out what someone needs is by asking them open ended questions. When you ask a question that requires more than just a “yes” or “no” answer you create a dialogue that allows the other person to express more about who they are both professionally as well as individually. As you listen pay attention to things that they say that you might be able to help them with and maybe write it down so you can discuss the item further.
In addition to giving it is equally important that we also receive help from others as well. We really need balance in networking in order to be most effective in relationship development and if we focus too much on ourselves, or on the “take” as it were, we can alienate others instead of bringing them closer.
If you will apply the “give and take “ approach to networking you will not only create strong relationships, you will also generate more opportunities in your professional life as well. More often than not people will choose to work with someone they know and trust, even if the service or product is slightly more than the competition, simply because there is a connection there. The more connections you make, the greater the chance for success so get out there and give a little. You never know how much you will get back in return.
One of the most important aspects to business and personal fitness is establishing a baseline or a measurement for which future outcomes can be measured. Once there is an understanding of where you are you can then measure future outcomes against it.
Relationships, in much the same way, need to have a baseline in order for us to know where we need to focus our efforts. We need to understand the level of our relationships with others so we know where we need to focus our efforts in order to grow and develop those relationships into something more personal. In order to do this Networkr has established five levels of relationship that you can use to accomplish this very thing. Let’s talk about each level in detail.
Level 0 - Level zero are your peers. These are individuals you have seen at an event but have never really had a chance to meet. You may know their name or recognize their face but you really don’t know much else.
Level 1 - Level one is a person you have met. You may have had a chance to sit at a table with them and you know their name, what they do and a little bit about them as a person. You still don’t know much about their personal life but have, at the very least, been introduced to one another in some way.
Level 2 - Level two are people you know and perhaps the most important level of relationship in Networking. Level two people are individuals with whom you have a personal relationship with. They are people you know things about like their likes and dislikes, hobbies, work, family, etc. There is a personal connection there as opposed to a superficial one that may exist in the level one sphere.
Level 3 - Level three are people that you know and trust. At this point in the relationship there aren’t a lot of barriers in the way. These are individuals with whom you have a personal connection with. You trust them and know the kind of work that they do. There is a level of vulnerability here which may not exist in a level two relationship. Level three people are your friends and people you trust and confide in at a personal level.
Level 4 - The raving fan. Level four people are the best of the best in your circle of influence. These are your friends, those you know and trust completely, and who share those sentiments for you as well.
As you identify the level of relationship you have with each person you meet you can maximize your networking efforts by establishing stronger relationships with those who you don’t know very well and nurture the relationships with those individuals that you you do know. As you do so you will see more referrals and opportunities to grow your business.
One of the greatest challenges in business today, especially for entrepreneurs and business owners, is the “multiple hat dilemma”. More often than not we find ourselves tasked with a lot of different responsibilities in our business or organization, and this can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. We are generally great at a few things, pretty good at others, and then completely out of our element and inexperienced with the rest. Now unless you are a superstar who knows everything already ( and congratulations to you if you think you do) here are a couple of reasons why you need networking.
When you go to a networking event you have the opportunity to not only tap into the experience and knowledge of those in attendance, but also the infinite number of people that those individuals have in their personal networks as well. The fact is that we simply don’t know what we don’t know so if we approach networking with intent to learn, we open ourselves up to really grow both individually and professionally.
You have heard the phrase “ knowledge is power” but this isn’t entirely true. What we need is “correct knowledge” because we can do things that we think we know, but unless we apply correct principles to whatever we’re doing we simply won’t get the results we are looking for. So how do we gain “correct” knowledge? You can either learn from your own experience by making a lot of mistakes, and potentially wasting a lot of time and resources in the process, or you can learn from other people who have more experience or knowledge than you. When it comes down to it there really is no comparison as to which option is best and why building a network of people who can help you will get you to your goals much faster than trying to do it on your own.
When you incorporate networking into your life you not only have an opportunity to give back by sharing your own experiences and expertise with others, you open yourself up to unlimited opportunities to learn and grow yourself. Correct knowledge is power so take time, get out there, and connect. It could be the best investment of time you ever make.
