You may have heard the saying, “It’s not what you know but whom you know.” Of course it also matters that you do know your stuff, but the point is, if you have the right contacts, you can get on the highway rather than meander through unbeaten tracks and trails, that may not even lead you to your destination.
Why do we all need to network? It’s about leveraging – we need people in our life because we can’t do everything ourselves. As English poet John Donne said centuries ago, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” We need others to help us get things done, both in business and our personal lives. By networking and knowing who to ask for help, we can get things done faster, easier and better, thus saving time, money and energy.
The maxim holds: “Your net worth is proportionate to your network.” If you want to be wealthy, make a lot of friends. To me, there’s no such thing as a ‘self-made millionaire.’ I’m sorry for those who are under the illusion that they are indeed self-made – how sad is that! We need other people, from the day we are born to the day we die. Every person who crosses our path has something to contribute to our eventual success (or failure) in life.
So, the next question is, how do you network effectively? For those of you who are clueless how to get started, here’s a tip from Nike. Just do it! However, before you rush out to join every club you hear about, you have to have a clear goal why you are planning to increase your network.
Is it to get a job? Or increase business? To raise funds for a charity? Or to meet more people with common interests? To develop better relationships and make more friends? Or even to meet a mate? Whatever your personal goal is, the key is to get started immediately. Don’t put if off until you need it, because networking is about building relationships with people – it takes time. You don’t join a network just to get what you want when you want it. That’s not how it works. In order to build good, strong networks, you need to focus on giving. The more you give, the more you will receive.
Here are some suggestions on what groups you can join:
Alumni Groups
Make a list of your alma maters, schools and institutions you have attended before, professional groups that you belong to, and so on. There is bound to be an alumni that we can get active in; who knows, it can be great fun! Recently, a group of my old schoolmates from a now non-existent school, banded together and started a mostly online group of “old girls”. It was great as the group has since expanded to several countries.
I’m also active in the Certified Professional Trainers and Coaches alumni which meets once a month in Singapore, and it’s a great avenue to network with other people in the same industry.
Volunteering for a Cause
This is a great way to meet people with the same values as you. Choose a cause that you feel passionate about and if the purpose is to grow your business, make sure it enhances rather than impedes business development. However, word of caution: make sure you have time to commit to it, otherwise it may come across as using the organization for your own personal agenda, and in the long run, may do you more harm than good.
Writing or Speaking Opportunities
My mentor (and brother) KC See always says, “When asked to speak, never say ‘no’.” Same goes for writing articles. Writing or speaking is a fantastic way to increase visibility, and thus, your network.
While writing this, I checked my email and saw a note from a trainer in India as well as in the Middle East who had read my article “On Being a Trainer” which my friend Shalu Wasu had posted on his blog. She told me she had a very similar background to mine – she was also with a magazine and later moved into training out of pure passion. We have promised to keep in touch, and who knows, what will develop from this.
I have also made literally thousands of friends from all over the world through my speaking engagements.
When I accept an invitation to speak, I always find the opportunity to maintain contact with people in the audience by sending them my e-zine or getting them to go to my blog or Facebook.
Now, don’t worry if you are not a trainer or writer by profession, start thinking like an ‘expert’ in your line of work or passion area and just ‘be’ one. That’s part of branding yourself!
Networking Groups
An easy way to get started is simply to identify existing network groups that are open to anyone to join, either by paying a fee, or in many cases, without a fee. Select one that has members which are in line with your ‘target market’ or industry, whether for business or personal. Check if the time and venue works to your convenience. (I have attended breakfast network meetings several times, but decided not to join them on a regular basis because I did not like getting into the morning traffic jams.)
If there are no groups which suit you, then start one! An easy way to look for or start a group is to go into Meetup.com. Recently my husband and I started a Meetup group called Personal Excellence and Growth for person who are passionate about continuous learning and growth.
Social Media Networking
I have also discovered the wonders of social media networking. I have reconnected with many old friends and made new ones through popular sites like Facebook and Linked-In.
One tip though: If you are networking for business or professional purpose, keep your accounts professional-looking. That means, don’t post messages that will reflect negatively on you, or use it for playing games or sending all kinds of hugs and kisses to everyone. Go ahead and do what you want for your personal account but keep your professional account, professional.
Why do we all need to network? It’s about leveraging – we need people in our life because we can’t do everything ourselves. As English poet John Donne said centuries ago, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” We need others to help us get things done, both in business and our personal lives. By networking and knowing who to ask for help, we can get things done faster, easier and better, thus saving time, money and energy.
The maxim holds: “Your net worth is proportionate to your network.” If you want to be wealthy, make a lot of friends. To me, there’s no such thing as a ‘self-made millionaire.’ I’m sorry for those who are under the illusion that they are indeed self-made – how sad is that! We need other people, from the day we are born to the day we die. Every person who crosses our path has something to contribute to our eventual success (or failure) in life.
So, the next question is, how do you network effectively? For those of you who are clueless how to get started, here’s a tip from Nike. Just do it! However, before you rush out to join every club you hear about, you have to have a clear goal why you are planning to increase your network.
Is it to get a job? Or increase business? To raise funds for a charity? Or to meet more people with common interests? To develop better relationships and make more friends? Or even to meet a mate? Whatever your personal goal is, the key is to get started immediately. Don’t put if off until you need it, because networking is about building relationships with people – it takes time. You don’t join a network just to get what you want when you want it. That’s not how it works. In order to build good, strong networks, you need to focus on giving. The more you give, the more you will receive.
Here are some suggestions on what groups you can join:
Alumni Groups
Make a list of your alma maters, schools and institutions you have attended before, professional groups that you belong to, and so on. There is bound to be an alumni that we can get active in; who knows, it can be great fun! Recently, a group of my old schoolmates from a now non-existent school, banded together and started a mostly online group of “old girls”. It was great as the group has since expanded to several countries.
I’m also active in the Certified Professional Trainers and Coaches alumni which meets once a month in Singapore, and it’s a great avenue to network with other people in the same industry.
Volunteering for a Cause
This is a great way to meet people with the same values as you. Choose a cause that you feel passionate about and if the purpose is to grow your business, make sure it enhances rather than impedes business development. However, word of caution: make sure you have time to commit to it, otherwise it may come across as using the organization for your own personal agenda, and in the long run, may do you more harm than good.
Writing or Speaking Opportunities
My mentor (and brother) KC See always says, “When asked to speak, never say ‘no’.” Same goes for writing articles. Writing or speaking is a fantastic way to increase visibility, and thus, your network.
While writing this, I checked my email and saw a note from a trainer in India as well as in the Middle East who had read my article “On Being a Trainer” which my friend Shalu Wasu had posted on his blog. She told me she had a very similar background to mine – she was also with a magazine and later moved into training out of pure passion. We have promised to keep in touch, and who knows, what will develop from this.
I have also made literally thousands of friends from all over the world through my speaking engagements.
When I accept an invitation to speak, I always find the opportunity to maintain contact with people in the audience by sending them my e-zine or getting them to go to my blog or Facebook.
Now, don’t worry if you are not a trainer or writer by profession, start thinking like an ‘expert’ in your line of work or passion area and just ‘be’ one. That’s part of branding yourself!
Networking Groups
An easy way to get started is simply to identify existing network groups that are open to anyone to join, either by paying a fee, or in many cases, without a fee. Select one that has members which are in line with your ‘target market’ or industry, whether for business or personal. Check if the time and venue works to your convenience. (I have attended breakfast network meetings several times, but decided not to join them on a regular basis because I did not like getting into the morning traffic jams.)
If there are no groups which suit you, then start one! An easy way to look for or start a group is to go into Meetup.com. Recently my husband and I started a Meetup group called Personal Excellence and Growth for person who are passionate about continuous learning and growth.
Social Media Networking
I have also discovered the wonders of social media networking. I have reconnected with many old friends and made new ones through popular sites like Facebook and Linked-In.
One tip though: If you are networking for business or professional purpose, keep your accounts professional-looking. That means, don’t post messages that will reflect negatively on you, or use it for playing games or sending all kinds of hugs and kisses to everyone. Go ahead and do what you want for your personal account but keep your professional account, professional.
This article was published in The Straits Times Singapore on May 25, 2010.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment