“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
© Contacts Count LLC, 2013
How The Unconnected Employee Hurts Your Business
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
In This Executive Summary…
● The Unconnected: who are they?
● 8 ways they hurt your business
● How training in connecting, conversing, & collaborating has enterprise-wide benefits
● What is The Network-Oriented WorkforceTM ?
● 5 things you can do to increase connection, conversation, and collaboration
● What’s next?
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Who Are The Unconnected?
People who ● Say, “I feel shy & uncomfortable in business & social
settings.” (About 60% in the US) ● Gravitate toward the “quiet” careers● Have more technological than interpersonal skills● Must to take a larger role in business development &
client acquisition● Need – as leaders & managers - much more robust &
diverse networks ● Haven’t realized that strategic networking is a “must-
have” tool that boosts organizational outcomes
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Who Are We Talking About?
20% are “Naturals” – network-building comes easily
71% are “Neutrals” – willing to adopt a networking identity & learn the skills, if given the chance
9% are “Naysayers” – “Sorry, it’s not my thing”
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
8 Ways The UnconnectedEmployee Hurts Your Business
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
1. No Big Picture
Unconnected employeesdon’t develop & use theirconnections to support and speed the execution of strategy.
“In high-growth organizations, 84% of employees know where the organization is headed; in low-growth organizations only 52% do.”
In Momentum, Inc.
“Strategic networking to help uncover & capitalize on new opportunities for the company puts the tools of networking in the service of business goals.” “How Leaders Create & Use Networks”
Ibarra and Hunter, Harvard Business Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
2. No Top-Line Focus
Unconnected employees don’t see themselves as part of a business development teamor use their networks to attractclients.
30% of the consulting engineers’ bonuses depended on uncovering new business at client sites where they worked every day. Only 3 of the 35 engineers earned their full bonus. - An Ohio High-Tech Firm
After attending a networking event with her 3 sales people and watching them talk with each other, check their phones, and graze at the buffet, the manager withdrew the team’s $50,000 budget, until she was assured that they had learned how to connect and converse for business. - A Washington DC services company.
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
3. Don’t Gather & Share Business Intelligence
Unconnected employees spend your money going to conferences & meetings, but fail to gather & bring back best practices & business trends to help the organization.
“Even the most technology-savvy leaders rely on their own personal networks to find the best resource quickly. The human networks are what count.”
RosaBeth Moss Kantor, Harvard Business Review
“Determining the benefit & ROI to the conference provider is easy, & it isn’t new. What is missing, however, is the ROI for those who make the conference successful, particularly the participants & the organizations that fund their trip.”
Dr. Patti Phillips, CEO of the ROI Institute, co-author of Show Me The Money
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
4. Produce Less
Unconnected employees’ performance & productivity suffer.
An MIT study found that employees with the most extensive personal digital networks were 7% more productive than their colleagues. However, employees with the most cohesive face-to-face networks were 30% more productive. “How Social Networks Network Best”
Alex Pentland, MIT, Harvard Business Review
“Executives who consistently rank in the top 20% of their companies in both performance & well-being have diverse but select networks.” “Managing Yourself”
Rob Cross, Harvard Business Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
5. Are Out of the Loop
Unconnected employees don’t know who to go toor where to find resourcesto get the job done. “Being intentional about developing relationship excellence that comes from connection is the key to unlocking corporate potential.” The Connection Culture by Michael Lee Stallard
“Leaders who are skilled networkers have access to people, information, & resources to help solve problems and create opportunities.” Center for Creative Leadership
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
6. Don’t Work Across Boundaries
Unconnected employees don’t diversify their networks with regard to geography, age, gender, & function.
“86% of senior leaders say that working across boundaries inside & outside their companies is extremely important. Just 7%, however, believe they are very effective at it.”
“Working Beyond Borders,” IBM Report
“Bigger is not better. The magic lies in the new ideas and perspectives that can come from connections into different networks.”
“The Most Valuable People In our Network” Rob Cross, Harvard Business Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
7. Are Invisible
Unconnected employees don’t know how to make their expertise known so it can be used.
“Employees have 3 choices: Intentional Disconnection, Intentional Connection, or Unintentional Disconnection. People often choose the latter, mostly because they don’t have the skill & they don’t have a connection culture.”
The Connection Culture by Michael Lee Stallard.
“The significant difference between high quality & poor quality decisions is how the decision-makers engage stakeholders.”
Harvard Business Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
8. Turn Off Co-workers
Unconnected employees make unsuccessful managers & team mates.
“Successful managers spend 70% more time networking than their less successful counterparts.”
“A Social Capital Theory of Career Success” Seibert, Kraimer, & Linden, Academy of Management Journal
“In giver cultures, employees help others, share knowledge, offer mentoring, & make connections without expecting anything in return.”
Give & Take by Adam Grant
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
HOW SUPPORTING THE NETWORK-ORIENTED WORKFORCETM BENEFITS YOUR ORGANIZATION
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
5 Benefits of Internal Networking
① Fewer bureaucratic bottlenecks & silos
② Increased innovation via collaboration
③ Maximum use of resources & expertise
④ Freer information flow
⑤ Stronger manager-employee relationships
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
5 Benefits of External Networking
❶ Access to best practices & new ideas
❷ Richer relationships with vendors & customers
❸ Highly vetted referrals
❹ Cross-pollination with diverse contacts
❺ Shared responsibility for business development
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
The Story So Far…
● The unconnected employee hurts the organization in critical ways that impact enterprise success.
● Concrete benefits come from teaching employees the skills they need to claim their networking identities in the Network-Oriented WorkforceTM.
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
What Is The Network-Oriented WorkforceTM?
The NOW is made up of people who, at their own discretion, exchange information, resources, support, and access. They intentionally create new value with others inside and outside the organization by skillfully creating purposeful connections, meaningful conversations, and effective collaboration.
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
How What We Do LinksTo The Big Picture
Strategy Execution
Innovation EngagementCompetitivene
ss
Collaboration Connection Conversation
Key Business
Issues
Key People Enablers
Commit to a Networking Identity
Increase Social Acumen
Engage People
Communicate Expertise
Take a Strategic Approach
Leverage Four Networks
Develop Trusting
Relationships
Create Organisational Value8 NOW
Competencies
From Disconnecte
d to Connected Employees
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Five Things You Can Do NOW To Build Networking Competency in Your Workforce
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
1. Bring People Together
Encourage these stakeholders to collaborateto power up The NOWTM:
o HR & Talent Managemento Learning & Developmento Business Developmento Sales & Marketingo Career Management o Diversity Initiatives & Affinity Groups o Mentoring & Leadership Development
In a study of CEOs (1700+ CEOs across 64 countries in 18 industries) IBM found that to draw out the best in their workforces, CEOs choose cultivating a “collaborative environment” as one of the 3 most important attributes to focus on. “Leading Through Connections” 2012 Global CEO Study by IBM
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
2. Make Networking a Professional Competency
Teach your employees state-of-the-art networking skills & tools.
“Conversation is what keeps the engine of value creation firing on all cylinders.”
Talk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organizations by Groysberg and Slind
“What really distinguishes high performers from the rest of the pack is their ability to maintain & leverage personal networks. The most effective create & tap large, diversified networks that are rich in experience & span all organizational boundaries.”
“The Social Side of Performance” MIT/Sloan Management Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
3. Cut Ramp-Up Time
Help new hires build relationshipswith subordinates, peers, &others throughout the organization.
“A comprehensive on-boarding process that identifies cultural values & introduces key internal stakeholders . . . will significantly decrease ramp-up time & can turn potential hiring mistakes into key contributors to the leadership team.” Salveson Stetson Group
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
4. Give Leaders & Managers Tools
Teach them to model, coach, & mentor relationship building as the way to create & reinforce the NOWTM
culture. When given the choice, people choose to work with people who are likeable and competent. If they can’t have both, they choose likeability over competence.
“Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, & the Formation of Social Networks,” by
Casciaro & Lobo, Harvard Business Review
“Top trend: Networking. Work will be increasingly relationship-based & therefore managing the weaving of relationships even more essential to outcomes.”
Association of Career Management Professionals International
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
5. Spark Meaningful Conversation
Encourage richer conversations & trusting relationships that help get the job done by encouraging “serendipitous,” informal meetings of people who might not normally meet.
“70% of what people know about their jobs they learn through everyday interactions with colleagues.”Center for Workforce Development
“Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings.”
Google’s explanation for the design of their new campus which maximizes “casual collisions.”
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
So what’s the next step?
Tap into the expertise you needwith Contacts Count,
the international consulting & training firm specializing in developing & supporting
The Network-Oriented WorkforceTM
.
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
We Collaborate With Clients
Let us help you enrich your programs foroOrientation of New Hires oLeaders & High-PotentialsoBusiness Development & SalesoManagers & SupervisorsoDiversity & Mentorship o Individual ContributorsoProfessional Development
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Our Licensure Program
Builds your in-house capability with ● Licensure of Contacts Count training materials &
reinforcement tools● Train-the-Trainer workshops● Consultations with your leaders & managers● Kick-off keynotes & workshops● Executive Coaching● Webinars & podcasts
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Contacts Count’s Expertise
● The premier consulting & training firm forbusiness & professional networking since 1990
● An international team of Certified Presenters who are experts in the Contacts Count approach to building enterprise-wide success
● The best “how-to” guide on business networking authored by founders & thought leaders Anne Baber & Lynne Waymon. Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Business & Career Success (AMACOM, 2nd edition)
● Featured magazine articles by Baber & Waymon in the ASTD’s T & D Magazine, the ASAE’s Associations Now, & North Carolina SHRM’s NCHR Review
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Contacts Count’s Track Record
● CorporationsKPMG, eBay, Corning, DuPont, Lockheed
Martin, Raytheon, Microsoft, Sapient, Bank of America, HSBC Bank, Kraft,U.S. Cellular, Decorating Den, Sir Speedy
● Professional ServicesDeloitte Financial Advisory Services; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Ernst & Young; Keiter CPA, Booz-Allen Hamilton; Lee Hecht Harrison; Right Management Associates; Hazel Thomas; Grant Thornton; Bates White; Polsinelli, Shalton, Flanigan, Suelthaus; Snyder, Cohn, Collyer, & Hamilton
● Non-ProfitsSmithsonian, National Geographic Society, United Way, Brookings Institution
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
● AssociationsNational Business Incubation Association, Consumer Electronics Association, Women in Technology, American Institute of Architects, National Association of Home Builders, American Council of Engineering Companies, Edison Electric Institute, Property Management Association, Pan Asian Women’s Association, Society of Black Professionals, American Society of Association Executives, Public Relations Society of American, Medical Librarians Association, National Association of Colleges & Employers, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, California Society of CPAs
● Government AgenciesTreasury Executive Institute; the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Departments of State, Agriculture, Commerce, & Defense; National Institutes of Health; Presidential Management Fellows Program; National Technology Transfer Center; Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Canadian Embassy
● UniversitiesGeorgetown, Marquette, Arizona State, George Mason, Catholic, Friends, Carnegie-Mellon, George Washington, Missouri, Nebraska
Contacts Count’s Track Record
“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Contacts Count LLC
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“Connect, Converse, & Collaborate in The NOW”© 2013 www.ContactsCount.com
Talk to us…
Set up a conversation with us. We’d like to learn more about your needs & plans.
Contact:● US and Europe:
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André Alphonso, [email protected]● Portugal, Brazil, Angola:
Valter Barreira, [email protected] ● Other Locations:
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