WOMEN in BUSINESS - February/March 2009 - (Page 44)

4 Keys to Taking Care of Your network Recruiting New People. in order to grow and develop long after you’ve mastered the basics of your profession you need to expose yourself to new situations and new opportunities. The best way to do that is to refresh your network with new people who bring new dimensions to your network. one way to meet new people is to ask others in your network to make introductions for you. introductions are the most natural way to meet. People you have done business with, for example, are great resources for new business opportunities. but clients aren’t the only ones who can refer us to new people. 1. Building Relationships—keep in mind that good relationships depend on trust; you can’t build relationships with people if you never connect with them. 2. Reciprocity—be available for people when they need help and let them know just what you can do to help. 3. Recruiting new People—in order to continue to grow and develop, expose yourself to new situations and new opportunities. 4. Being Sensitive—be aware of the busy schedules of the people in your network; your most effective tool is your existing network. Building your network isn’t hard, but it takes planning, attention to detail, and sensitivity to others’ needs. Your most effective tool is your existing network. meetings, associations and other network accelerators are also effective avenues for meeting new people. unfortunately, people often do not use these accelerators very effectively. usually someone belongs to a variety of professional associations or goes to hear a speaker or goes to monthly meetings. They need to find a group or two that they really like and connect with and show up regularly and volunteer so people get to know them in a different capacity. The goal should be to learn something. if you’ve connected with people in a way that is mutually beneficial, then set up a time to meet afterwards. but it doesn’t happen overnight, especially when you’re new to a group. sometimes bypass introductions and meetings and go for the direct approach, many people really appreciate it. often, just picking up the phone works. People are often willing to help if they know what it’s about. but you need to have a well-defined reason. nothing turns busy people off more than pointless networking. of course, meeting new people is only the starting point. if you really want to build a relationship with someone so that he or she is at least an acquaintance or personal contact and not just a business-card trader, you have to follow up. Quality trumps quantity every time. Be Sensitive. effective networkers are sensitive of others busy schedules. building your network isn’t hard, but it takes planning, attention to detail, and sensitivity to others’ needs. Your most effective tool is your existing network. if you pay attention to the care and feeding of your existing network, use it to help you meet new people and build reciprocal relationships with them, and maintain a businesslike approach that is sensitive to others’ time constraints, your network will blossom over time. Michael Dulworth has been running executive networks for more than 20 years. He is currently the CEO of Executive Networks, Inc. (www.executivenetworks.com), a leader in peer networks for human resource professionals in large organizations. Excerpted from The Connect Effect, Building Strong Personal, Professional and Virtual Networks, ©2008. Published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. (www.bkconnection.com ). Used with permission. All rights reserved. 44 w o m e n i n b us i n e s s F E B / M A R 2 0 0 9 http://www.executivenetworks.com http://www.bkconnection.com

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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