the importance of professional networks. © the college for adult learning, 2014 networking means...

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS

© The College for Adult Learning, 2014

Networking means using your connections or contacts to

stay informed about what is happening inside or outside

your organisation, and to convey information that you

need passed on to others.

Networking


Networking the New Paradigm

• Markets are global

• Product and service delivery systems are

sophisticated enough to deliver ‘mass customisation’,

e.g. Online shopping websites or news websites

• Communication systems bind the world together in

real time, e.g. Email, SMS and business-to-business

computer networks

• Scattered workforces are located in areas of lowest

cost

• Technology allows more people to work at home or in

remote offices


Networking the New Paradigm

• The old corporate vertical pyramids have been

deconstructed in favour of more flexible organisational

structures


We often depend on others to get things done and, in

most instances we have no direct authority over the

people we work with so, we must rely on our own ability

to build effective and influential relationships with

all sorts of people – many of whom we would never relate

to in our personal lives.

This is where networking and building networks

becomes important.

Networking


As a MGT Professional you will often need to engage in

both professional and business networking – networking

is a skill set you just can’t survive without.

Networking


Some Benefits of having networks are:

• Social support — the people in your networks can be a

'friendly ear' when you need one

• Job support — the people in your networks can help you

to achieve your work goals

• Sharing common goals — you can cooperate with other

people to achieve things that benefit both of you

• Lower cost to generate business leads and opportunities

Benefits of Networks


• More sources of information, ideas or revenue

• More opportunities to circulate information that you want

others to have

• The chance to influence situations that affect your team

Benefits of Networks


Networking

“Creating a fabric of personal contacts who will provide

support, feedback, insight, resources and information

needed to get things done.”

Harvard Business Review,(2007) ‘How Leaders Create and Use Networks’ January 2007.


Examples of Networks:

• Established in many cities and regional centres

• Social networking sites

• Public speaking and special interest networks

• Social networks

• Women’s or men’s networks

• People with common interests to get together on a regular basis

• Clubs are another form of networks

Types of Networks


Professional Networks

You can have several networks, both inside and outside your organisation.


A recent term developed to describe the use of

networking as a way to sell and distribute goods.

• Organisations are selling products using this system.

• The concept of networking has a far broader

application.

Network Marketing


Something you do all the time, you just don’t always call

it that.

• Meeting people, developing relationships and

communicating – talking, listening, exchanging and

sharing ideas.

• Doing these things in an active, intentional way, that

is, with a purpose.

Networking


About sharing – information, ideas, contacts. It is about

giving and receiving these that creates a win-win

situation for all.

Not just taking, and not about what you can get from

someone. It is about giving and doing something for

others, that is, about developing and maintaining

meaningful relationships based on trust.

Networking


Networking is about developing contacts with

people with whom you can build a rapport and

who may provide information, leads, referrals,

support and encouragement if and when it’s

needed.


Networking

Networking is:

• Initiating key

relationships with a

purpose

• Cultivating these

relationships over time

• Leveraging these

relationships for mutual

benefit

Networking is not:

• A business card

gathering contest

• Something that yields

immediate benefit

• A ‘one-for-one’

exchangeNetworking is an opportunity to build lifelong relationships.


Networking

In a larger organisation networking can also help:

• Improve communication

• Encourage collaboration

• Reduce alienation

• Maximise resources


The Benefits of Networking

Networking can be used

to:• Gain or increase business

opportunities

• Expand your business and your contacts

• Build trust internally

• Facilitate collaboration in people management

• Gain new work

opportunities

• Expand professional contacts

• Raise your profile

• Share resources and information

• Benefit from collective buying

• Expand social contacts and opportunities


Types of Networks

Operational Personal Strategic

What is the purpose?

Getting work done efficiently

Enhancing personal and professional development

Figuring out future priorities

Where are they?

Internal Mostly external Both internal and external

What is the orientation?

Current project/ engagement

Current interests Future

What is the key attribute?

Depth Breadth Leverage

What is the Key Behaviour?

Building strong working relationships

referrals Creating new perspectives


Good networkers constantly give away contacts, help,

information, advice, time, care, empathy, and even a

friendly ear or shoulder to lean on.

In return they receive:

• New contacts for their own networks

• Contacts to whom they can delegate or share

workloads in busy times

• Opportunities to share cooperative work

arrangements

• Opportunities to expand the range of

products/services offered by their business

Networkers


Activity

Think about your understanding of the concept of

personal networking. Consider different aspects of your

life, including your personal and professional areas.

1. What sort of personal networks do you have or have

you had in the past?

2. How do you think they have helped you?

3. Now think about the jobs you’ve had. What networks

have you been involved with?

4. How helpful were they?


Activity

5. Think about the sort of job you want once you’ve

completed this course. What sort of networks do you

think you will need to develop and why?


1. Can you visualise your web of networks?

How Large is Your Network?


• People like to do business with people they trust.

Social Media allows for this

• Learning about potential clients, vendors, or partners

by reviewing online profiles, turning what could have

been an extremely cold call into a warm one

• It also assists in re-connecting with contacts we

haven’t seen or heard from in years

Social Media and Networking


• Everyday you have to work with a number of different

people

• You have to have a relationship with these people to

enable you to work successfully with them

• You can build and nurture this relationship using social

media

• You should establish the key people in your

organisation and work down from there

Social Networking at Work


Social Networking at Work

The core of social media is building strong connections

and supportive communities are going to be a more

important part of business culture in the future.

E.g. IBM ‘Succeeding@IBM’ program:

• for new employees (first 6-12months)

• they use a social networking group for collaborating

on topics and getting to know others outside their own

departments

• helps improve their global networking skills

• gives new employees a broader base of knowledge to

tap into as they adapt to their new jobs and company

cultureSource: Randy McDonald HRE Online


How Social Networking Helps Your Professional Networking

• Visibility

• Pace

• Common interest

• Shared goals

• Self-disclosure


Are you aware of all of the social media networks and

initiatives that are available to you locally?

1. Take time to visit the various industry association,

Facebook pages, YouTube channels or LinkedIn sites

and make a list of the networks, associations,

initiatives or activities that you think could be of

interest to you as a Professional.

2. Record these contacts in your learning journal

together with a short summary of why you’ve

selected them and how you think they could assist or

help you.

Activity


LinkedIn Tips

• Use LinkedIn Today to stay on top of the news that matters

to you

• Follow companies you are interested in through their

LinkedIn page

• Add descriptive tags to your connections profiles

• Pose a question on LinkedIn Answers to find connections

with expertise

• Post a Poll to your LinkedIn network to ask a broad question

• Send a LinkedIn message to your network asking them to

send information

• Post one article a week to your LinkedIn connections


You need to be clear about what you want to

achieve by networking:

• Your intention and purpose

• Then set goals around these

Traditional Networking



Networks are all about creating a two-way flow of

information.

To get the most from your networks think about

both:

• The information you gather for yourself and your team

• The information you circulate or provide to others



When you gather or provide information, try to focus on

what you or the other person needs.

Why is the information needed?

Knowing why helps you to gather or provide the correct

information.



• What information is needed? Knowing what helps you

to ensure that the information is correct and complete.

• When is the information needed? Knowing when helps

you to organise your own priorities and manage your

own time.

• How will the information be conveyed? For example,

by phone, in person, by email, by post?

• Who are your customers? Who are your suppliers?

Can you think of any ways you could improve your

networks with them?


Timesaving Tips for Networking

1. Create internal information networks. Network with

and get to know your own staff.

2. Encourage staff members to attend meetings and

seminars that are relevant to the whole org., and ask

them to give an oral report when they return.

3. Hire staff with good communication skills, so that the

networks they form add to your whole organisation’s

networks.

4. Know what your organisation’s longer term goals are.

This will help you to build networks that are important

for your org. tomorrow, not just today.


Traditional Networking: Identifying Who You Are

You need to know who you are in the context of

the networking you intend undertaking – that is

your:

• Business

• Position is within a company

• Skills

• Ethics

• Personal attributes

• Interests


How will networking help you to achieve your

goals?

Goal – To increase your profile within the your profession.

Solution – Attend a network of Professionals from your

industry



Networking – Be Clear on Your Goals

When networking and establishing contacts always

be clear on what you want from each specific contact.

This provides a clear message to contacts re. how they in

turn relate to you.


When networking always introduce yourself:

• In a concise way that is interesting to the listener. This

will encourage them to ask questions;

• Describe your business or organisation briefly in 10

words or less;

• Be succinct in your job description;

• Don’t waffle – this doesn’t inspire confidence.

Networking – The Introduction


Networking – Prepare and Practice

• Prepare and practice your introduction to contacts

• Frame your description in terms of what your business

or organisation does for its customers i.e. the

benefits rather than how you do what you do. E.g.

Jason the builder describes himself and his

organisation as ‘we build dreams’ rather than ‘I’m a

builder’.

• This introduction creates interest and opens a path for

questions.


What to Say…

• Introduce yourself

• Smile, maintain eye contact,

note body language

• Ask questions

• Allow others to ‘shine’

‐ Talk 10%

‐ Listen 90%

‐ Make the other person feel

important


The Fine Art of Small Talk

Meeting new people and initiating new

conversations:

• Always say hello and great people warmly

• Use an ice-breaker:

‐ How many people do you think will be coming?

‐ Tell me about the type of work you do at……?

‐ Where did you go to school?

‐ What do you find most interesting about your job?

‐ How did you come to be at…….?



Learn to remember and use a person’s name

•Repeat to yourself

•Use it in conversation

Prepare, prepare, prepare

•Thing about the event you are attending

•Prepare your verbal business card

•Come up with a least 3 conversation points or topics



Keeping the conversation going

• Show an interest in others

• Be a good listener

• Ask open-ended questions

• Dig deeper

• Be appropriate ‘do’s and don’ts’

• Don’t dominate the conversation

• Respect others and their opinions



Exiting the conversation

• Be prepared with some exit strategies

‐ Moving from one conversation to another is key

‐ Graceful exits e.g. ‘I need to speak to someone

about….’

• Make a lasting impression

‐ Smile and a handshake – nice to meet you

‐ Establish a way to make contact in the future


Activity

1. Consider different areas of your life, for example, work, social,

relationships, interests and so on and the goals you have

previously developed for them. How might networking assist

you to achieve these?

2. Develop a set of goals that involves networking in each of

these areas.

3. What sort of networker are you? Do you find it easy or hard to

talk to people you don’t know?

4. Develop your introduction using a simple description which

says what you do, not how you do it.

5. What other strategies could you use to help you leave a

lasting impression with the people you meet?


Be a Confident Networker

Successful networking requires certain personal

qualities and skills:

• Move out of your comfort zone

• Remember your goals and purpose

• Overcome nervousness and meet new people

• Be an active participant i.e. ask questions

• Follow-up after the event – good networkers follow

leads


Successful networking requires certain personal

qualities and skills:

• Attitude affects successful networking maintain a

positive and open demeanour

• Radiate confidence and optimism – leave a positive

impression

Be a Confident Networker


Skills for Successful Networking

1. Communicate successfully – well developed

communication skills include the ability to:

• Actively listen

• Maintain eye contact

• Ask meaningful open-ended questions, which

encourage and invite participation, resulting in useful

feedback

• Be aware of the impact of body language, posture,

facial expressions, tone of voice, and so on



2. Be assertive and easily able to move on from a

situation when it is appropriate.

• You should be inclusive of others and not overbearing

in discussion

• Be clear and concise when communicating about

yourself and your business or work

• Engage the attention of your listener when doing so


3. Be culturally sensitive.

To be a successful and sensitive networker you need to

know that, when communicating with people from other

cultures, some actions, words and gestures may be

offensive, so be considerate of these.



4. Presentation and public speaking skills are very

useful as there may be chances for you to present

information to your groups.



A Summary of the Attributes of a Good Networker

A successful networker will have the following

attributes:

• An opportunity-focused outlook,

• A positive, ‘can-do’, optimistic attitude

• A pleasant disposition

• A welcoming demeanour

• A smile – therefore embracing and encouraging others

• The ability to include others


A Summary of the Attributes of a Good Networker

A successful networker will have the following

attributes:

• A well groomed and appropriate appearance

• Confidence

• Respect for others

• Tolerance towards other ideas, backgrounds and so on

• Communication skills that do not dominate

• Good listening techniques


Networks Summary

Networking is the practice of actively using your

connections or contacts to keep you informed about what

is happening inside or outside your organisation.


To Build Successful Networks

Some practical ideas to build your networks:

• Identify the people you can get to know, inside and

outside your organisation

• Actively build your networks

• Talk to your customers/clients (internal/external)

• Talk to your suppliers (internal/external)

• Get to know the opinion leaders

• Put the good networkers in your organisation on the

‘frontline’


Ten Commandments of Business Networking• Have your tools with you at all times

• Set a goal for the number of new people you meet

• Act like a host – not a guest

• Listen and ask open questions

• Don’t try to hard

• Give referrals when possible

• Exchange business cards

• Manage your time efficiently

• Make a note on the back of the business card

• Always follow-up


In Summary

The growth of social media is changing the way we

communicate, interact and network.

Professionals can positively use social media to:

• Develop strong internal networks with staff, managers

and senior management

• Develop large external networks with past employees,

other professionals and business specialists etc.


In Summary

Traditional face to face networking is very

important.

Professionals meet and interact with others during

conferences, seminars, dinners and many other

networking occasions with:

• Clear purpose and goals – what you’re trying to

achieve with each networking contact

• Succinct statement in mind of what you do/ who you

are

• Plan and practice your introduction


In Summary

Networking is important for all Professionals, as a

shared professional practice, maintaining currency and

skill at the cutting edge of what’s new, as a means of

encouraging innovation and change and as a connection

to a professional body of knowledge and sense of kinship.


See you next time!

the importance of professional networks. © the college for adult learning, 2014 networking means...

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