Effective networking

Sue Stockdale

www.suestockdale.com

This session aims to answer the following questions:

• What is the purpose of networking?

• How do you network effectively?

• What is your networking strategy?

Our focus for today?

• Having a strategy• Identifying who to network with• Developing the “right mindset”• Conversation skills• Maintaining relationships

What is the purpose of networking?

• To build relationships

• To learn • To share

knowledge and experience

• To influence others in relation to your ideas

• Find a connection• Listen and

understand• Value yourself• Be able to explain

concisely

Three forms of networking Operational Personal Strategic

Purpose Getting work done efficiently

Enhancing personal and professional development, referrals to useful information and contacts.

Figuring out future priorities and challenges, getting stakeholder support for them

Location and orientation

Contacts mostly internal, and orientated towards current demands

Contacts are mostly external and orientated towards current and future interests

Contacts are internal and external and orientated towards the future

Players and recruitment

Contacts are prescribed mostly by task, and organisation structure

Contacts mostly discretionary, it is not always clear who is relevant

Contacts follow from strategic context and org environment, and not clear who is relevant

Network attributes and key behaviours

Depth – building strong working relationships

Breadth: reaching out to contacts who can make referrals

Leverage creating “inside-outside” links

Reference: How Leaders create and use Networks, Herminia Ibarra and Mark Hunter, HBR, January 2007

Networking Strategy

Existing New

New

Exis

ting

Existing Network

Embrace Diversity

Netw

ork

CONTACTS

Networking

ReferOthers

Reference: The Growth Story, by Sue Stockdale

Values and Beliefs

Thoughts and Feelings

Behaviour

Outcome

Mindset is key to success

Values and Beliefs

Thoughts and Feelings

Behaviour

Outcome

I am not good at networking

I feel nervous about doing it

I stand by the buffet and avoid speaking to people

Feel a failure and avoid future opportunities

Three stage process

• Preparation• During • Follow-up

Preparation

Who will be there?

Who is the host?

What mindset do I have?

What is my objective?

What is my message?

Levels of social conversation

• Level 1 – Small talk “Its hot today”

• Level 2 – Selective self-disclosing “It’s my first time at this meeting”

• Level 3 – Polite Probing “Do you travel a lot with your job?”

• Level 4 – Testing for Trust“I like your business card, what made you

choose that look?”

• Level 5 – Maintaining familiarity“I saw this article in the press and thought

you might like to read it. How is business?”

Ref: Confident networking for career success and satisfaction by Gael and Stuart Lindenfield, Published by Piatkus

Starting the conversation

• Hello, there….it’s a bit busy here today…

• What do you do?• What brings you here today?• Do you know many people here?• What are you looking forward to

today?• How can I help you?

In pairs, make a list of 5 questions you could ask to establish rapport with someone

How you describe yourself

• You know when people in business want to achieve a challenging goal but realise something

is stopping them from taking action….• What I do is provide inspiration, coaching and

support to help them work out a way

forwards…..• Which means that....they save time, get

new insights and accelerate progress

Follow-Up

Send a message

“ I saw this and thoughtof you”

Regular contact

Introduce them to Someone else

Arrange to meet up

Key points

• Create a strategy• Prepare• Look interested• Listen • Share your ideas• Follow up

• Mental preparation• Be yourself• Ask great

questions• Be clear about your

message• Take a business

card and then follow up

Resources:

Confident networking for career success and satisfaction by Gael and Stuart Lindenfield, Published by Piatkus

Our website www.suestockdale.com