WOMEN in BUSINESS - February/March 2009 - (Page 43)

Timing is also a critical component of a successful network. if it takes more than 24 hours to hear back, you’ve not established the right type of relationship with that person. The right people, the right conversations, the right time—this is the mantra of a powerful network. Understanding Your network Your current network is vital in order to grow the connections you have. And to use it effectively, you must understand who is in it, who is closest to you, who is more peripheral, who needs more attention and who needs your help. so the next step is to map your network. Then you can start appreciating it, analyzing it, and assessing it—and then move on to building it, not as a one-time event but as a lifelong journey. if you have mapped your network you have a pretty good idea of who’s who. That’s a good start, but if you want to use your network to grow your network, it helps to go a little further. First, identify the members with whom you have merely traded business cards, acquaintances, personal contacts who will pay you a favor, or close friends you can count on when the chips are down. next, identify your top contacts, not in terms of their relationship with you, but in terms of their quality, their experience, their accomplishments, and their own networks. who can open lots of doors? Finally, identify those with whom you want to become closer. You may have neglected to follow up with someone with whom you traded business cards. Do you want to upgrade that person to an acquaintance? Do you have acquaintances that deserve to become personal contacts or friends? make a list of all these people. if your list is long, you may want to prioritize it and focus on the top five or so names. network-Building Guidelines networks don’t happen by accident or grow spontaneously. You’ve got to plan for networking on a regular basis. make plans to attend a meeting or conference. make time to reach out to people. You have to want to be in somebody else’s network as well. be open to introducing people to others they may find interesting or valuable to know. You have to make the effort to send a personal note or e-mail or just to stay current on their contact information. You must have your network in place before you really need it. sometimes people say they just don’t have the time to network—they are too busy. often that is just an excuse when poor planning is the real problem. Take Care of Your network Taking care of your network isn’t complicated or difficult. it involves four key ingredients: (1) building relationships, (2) reciprocity, (3) recruiting new people, (4) being sensitive. Let’s look at each of these key ingredients in turn. Building Relationships. Good relationships depend on trust. Talking to people on a deeply personal level can occur only if a bond of trust exists. Trust means being discreet: you keep confidences and don’t pass on gossip. it means keeping your word. it means being responsive. it means being honorable and not taking unfair advantage of information others share with you. You can’t build relationships with people if you never connect with them. You’ve got to stay in touch, and this means more than two-sentence emails or simply updating your Rolodex. The key to reciprocity is having a level of awareness about how you behave with other people. if you find yourself constantly asking for favors instead of offering help, it is time to do a little soul searching. Reciprocity. You have to be available for people when they need help. when people know about you, what you’re good at and what connections you have, then they know how you might be able to help them. if you are always pumping others for information but not disclosing much about yourself, you aren’t creating balanced relationships. F E B / M A R 2 0 0 9 w o m e n i n b us i n e s s 43

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of IN BUSINESS - February/March 2009

IN BUSINESS - February/March 2009 Contents ABWA Member Benefits Letter from the Executive Director Letter from CEO ABWA Board News A New Era Unfolds Money Matters ABWA Announcements Personal Skills Style Breaking Down Barriers Legal Matters Business Spotlight Workplace: Working Online to Build ABWA Teams Mind & Body Workplace

IN BUSINESS - February/March 2009

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