I'm getting ready to go to a networking event, and I'm trying to get excited. Actually, I'm not even getting ready. I'm ready. I'm sitting at a coffeehouse 3 blocks from the event because I got to downtown Chicago early (to beat the traffic) and all I have to do is walk over there. But I'm tired. It's a Thursday. It's been a long week already. I've had a busy day full of ups and downs. Maybe you know the feeling? I don't necessarily want to go meet new people. It would be soooo easy to sit here, grab dinner, and then just go home. My lethargy has nothing to do with the event or the people there. It's going to be great - a … [Read more...]
Internal Relationships Create a Well-Oiled Machine
It's common to talk about business with metaphors, and one of the most common compares a high-functioning business to a "well-oiled machine." It highlights the idea of different parts and pieces fitting together to create a moving whole that does something - more often than not, moving forward. Unfortunately, in their quest to build that well-oiled machine, most leaders ignore the most important piece of the puzzle. Let's get very specific about our well-oiled machine. Let's say it's a sports car, maybe a Ferrari. It has a top-of-the-line engine, race-quality tires, and steering and controls that respond to the lightest touch. Taken … [Read more...]
Are you the Right Kind of Networker?
What kind of networker are you? In my experience, people fall into one of two categories. It’s an incredibly important distinction. The professionals in the first category put in an enormous amount of effort and still fail miserably at building their network. Those in the second find their careers blossoming because of their business relationships. Transactional vs. Relational Networking The Transactional Networker The first type is the transactional networker. People that follow this philosophy see networking as a series of brief encounters. And the goal of each encounter is to get something from it. These are the people at … [Read more...]
The Technology Yin and Yang of Millennial Networking
"Are different demographic groups better (or worse) than others at networking?" That was a question that was lobbed at me after a recent keynote on networking. OK, the actual question was, "Don't Millennials and other young professionals have an advantage in networking these days because they are so used to technology?" The person who asked it really wanted to validate her fears and concerns that because she wasn't young, and wasn't comfortable with technology, that her struggles with networking weren't her fault and she should just give up. It was a valid question, but there isn't a simple answer. I didn't let her off the hook, … [Read more...]
Networking in the 21st Century…for Millennials is Here!
Networking in the 21st Century...for Millennials: Why Your Network Sucks and What to Do About It is out now! You can get it here. It will be available FREE on Amazon Kindle for between 12:01 am May 4th and 11:59 pm May 6th. If any of my work has helped you in the past, here’s an easy way to return the favor. Every single mention or download of the book on the launch day helps this new book find its way in the world. How to help TODAY: Get the book for free on launch day :) on Kindle Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn with the link: http://amzn.to/1yWBSTS Email your friends and family who might find it valuable Post an Amazon.com … [Read more...]
The Right Way to Make a Networking Introduction
Remember "connecting the dots" when you were a kid? Starting with a page full of random points, you ran a line from dot to dot (following the numbers, of course) and got a picture of a flower, animal, or your favorite cartoon character. The "hidden" picture had revealed itself and you had a piece of art to hang on the refrigerator. Good networkers approach professional relationship-building in the same way. They find ways to make connections to create something that wasn't there before. One of the most fulfilling parts of networking is making connections between two people who could benefit from knowing each other. When you look … [Read more...]
The “Punk Rock” Guide to Networking
I learned all of my best networking strategies from punks. No, really. Back in the late 90’s and early years of the 2000s, I played drums in a ska band in Chicago. You don’t have to know what ska is for the purposes of this story. But you do have to know that due to a weird historical hiccup in the 70’s, the ska and punk music scenes were inextricably linked. So while my band had a horn section and suits, most of the shows that we played included at least a few other bands that sported lots of guitar distortion, combat boots, and mosh pits. I’m often asked where I developed my networking chops. Was it at business school, running … [Read more...]
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