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Secrets from Master Networkers

By Robyn Greenspan, Whether you’re a reluctant networker partners and developing revenue sources.
ExecuNet Editor-in-Chief or someone who wants to improve your “With more people becoming specialists,
connection skills, the leading networking networking in order to have access to
etworking may seem like a current experts counter all the resistance points individuals possessing specialized knowl-
N hot trend aided by the explosion of
technology-enabled platforms, but the art
and offer their tips, allowing you to find
the opportunity with anyone anytime and
edge or who know people possessing
specialized knowledge is even more criti-
of building relationships and connecting anywhere. cal in business,” says Bates.
with others is as old as time. The renewed To reach those specialists, Bates taps
emphasis on networking often leads exec- Who into his more than 30,000 direct contacts
utives to assess their ability to form mean- If you are not comfortable networking on he has collected. “I get asked all the time,
ingful relationships, revealing whether your own behalf, you can break the ice by ‘How do you maintain and invest in those
they are among those who feel at ease or introducing others. ExecuNet member relationships?’ My answer, ‘One person at
those who struggle. Sidney Gilford, Ed.D, a senior-level a time — as their needs arise.’ It doesn’t
Wherever you fall on the spectrum, administrator with experience in nonprof- take a lot of effort to have a strong net-
the underlying philosophy of networking its, higher education and corporate, says work when you approach it from the per-
is to give before you take, yet many reach that his networking campaign has intensi- spective of other people’s needs.”
out only when there is motivation. fied now that he is in transition; but he “You cannot meet the entire world.
“Networking isn’t something you do only regularly enjoys facilitating connections. You need to know who you want to
when you find you have a need that can “I like to help others, and I am enjoying meet and why you want to meet them,”
only be addressed by networking — that’s connecting people involved with new reminds ExecuNet member Wendy Taylor,
‘needworking,’” says Ron Bates, managing initiatives that have not yet hit the street chief product development officer at San
principal at Executive Advantage Group, with resources that will help them achieve Francisco-based Prosper Corporation.
a retained executive search firm. their goals and objectives.” “When you identify a person you really
“Networking is about giving, before get- The key, says Gilford, is to not feel want to meet or a company you really
ting, and that implies it’s something you overwhelmed about networking, as a want to work for, reach out to all of your
invest in.” Bates adds that networking measured approach can be just as success- online networks as well as the people in
should be a “careerstyle” — part of your ful. “If you are not reaching out at all your contact database. Let everyone know.
everyday business reality. because you don’t know how you will find Do this every few weeks and keep them
Scott Allen, About.com Entrepre- the time to connect with multiple people updated on your progress.”
neurs Guide and co-author of The Virtual in a day, maybe your goal should just be
Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing one person per day. It may not seem like What
Deals Online, says to incorporate a net- much, but this will be 100 percent more Allen emphasizes the importance of having
working mentality into everything you than you were doing previously.” a networking plan and therefore avoiding
do, but to individually assess each situa- As a result of his efforts, Gilford’s net- haphazard or habitual networking. “Many
tion. He says to learn about the business working with two separate individuals led people just check out whatever seems con-
of everyone you meet to find how you him to the same contact who asked him venient or interesting — choosing a net-
may be of service and to not be reluctant to sit on the board of a new museum in working meeting based on the time and
to talk about your own professional Philadelphia. “Individually, each person location rather than the attendees and for-
needs. “Who says you can’t talk about shared with this lead person how im- mat of the meeting, for example, or what-
business — ever — at Thanksgiving din- pressed they were with my background, ever social networking site they just got an
ner or church or the golf course? If it’s innovation, program development experi- invitation to. Others network by habit —
appropriate, be comfortable with it. Don’t ence and management skills.” going to the Chamber of Commerce lunch
hog the conversation and certainly don’t With some critical skills on the verge every month because that’s what they’ve
deliberately bring it up, but don’t be of shortage, networking for talent is even done for the last five years, or participating
uncomfortable with it either. Except more important for executives who are in just the one social networking site they
maybe at a funeral!” charged with building teams, sourcing found two years ago.”

© 2009 ExecuNet | www.execunet.com | 800.637.3126 1


Instead, Allen suggests picking your as a strategic and deliberate activity, value by not forcing networking into a schedule.
venues and activities more strategically. can also be derived from random, sponta- “If you’re stressed-out because you can’t fit
“Different types of activities support differ- neous interactions with others. “Take in any time for ‘networking,’ my advice to
ent aspects of relationship-building. You advantage of life’s interruptions such as you is the following: Don’t. That’s right.
have to align those activities with your taking the car to the mechanic, going to Don’t even try to squeeze in extra time.
strategic objectives in order to achieve the the dentist, or spending an afternoon Instead, focus on meeting people more
best results.” A series of questions can help at the DMV,” says Keith Ferrazzi, author often during the things you already have to
you refine your networking objectives: of the best-selling book, Never Eat Alone do. This way, you can relax and let that
• What are you trying to accomplish and Other Secrets to Success, One ‘networking time’ come to you.”
right now? Relationship at a Time. “Before each of your daily activities,
• What kind of people do you most Designated one of the most just ask yourself, ‘Could this be an
need to meet to help you with that? “connected” individuals by both Forbes opportunity to meet someone new?’”
• Do you need to meet a lot of new and Inc. magazines, Ferrazzi says, “No Ferrazzi adds.
people — strangers — or do you need matter how miserable those experiences Consistent with his recommendation
to build stronger relationships with have been for you in the past, they can to adopt a networking mindset, Allen says
the people you know to help drive be great places to make new connec- that the “most important ‘networking’
more referrals? tions. In the waiting rooms, people are you can do is everything you can to
• Do you need to focus more on build- sitting right next to you! You have a maintain excellent relationships with your
ing trust and knowledge of your char- built-in conversation-starter because you existing customers, qualified prospects,
acter or your professional reputation as have something obvious in common vendors and strategic partners. Never sac-
an expert in your field? with everyone there.” rifice meeting a commitment to one of
Even if the people you meet don’t them for the sake of networking.”
Gilford clarifies his objectives before wind up on your contact list, there’s a Taylor regularly practices “work-life
making contact. “Am I just touching benefit to just being friendly. “They integration” by weaving networking activi-
base; do I need something; do I want to might know people who are on your ties into the fabric of her social life. “This
get additional, new contact names? This list,” Ferrazzi points out. “Worst case, past Independence Day, I hosted 20 guests
helps me keep my message clear and to you struck up a nice conversation that in my home including a world-class econ-
the point.” And in the true spirit of net- made sitting there a bit less painful, and omist, a cancer researcher, an animal
working, Gilford says that he always asks you practiced your all-important audacity rights activist, a CEO of a medical device
what he can do to for the other person, skills that you can use next time at a manufacturer, and one of the founders
and that he is intent on building a recip- business conference.” of a leading telecommunications software
rocal relationship. “The greatest thing about this little company. While they enjoyed good cook-
networking plan is that it requires no ing, good wine and good company, the
My current network meets (extra) time at all,” Ferrazzi notes. “It event also enabled them to make valuable
my needs: does, however, require a little bit of guts. connections. Dozens of business cards
Never . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.8% And the more guts you have, the more were exchanged. No one even realized
Rarely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.9% you’ll meet success. Try it, it will pay off!” any business had been transacted.”
Sometimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57.8%
Often . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.6% When How much do you work on build-
All the time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0% Executives often complain that they don’t ing your professional networking
Source: ExecuNet, 2008 have the time to network, but the master relationships?
networkers agree that is a poor excuse. Very seldom .....................................8.3%
Gilford takes a unique approach “People who say they don’t have time to Seldom...........................................45.4%
by doing research to learn about his net- invest in networking are living in a reality Often .............................................41.0%
working contacts, enabling a more per- that is 10 to 20 years out of date. It’s like Very Often .......................................5.3%
sonal route when reaching out. “I like to saying you don’t have time to do your Source: ExecuNet, 2008
know recent achievements, milestones job,” says Bates. How
and activities in which they have been “You can’t think of it as ‘Networking Whether you are managing thousands of
involved. It is always great to start with is taking time away from sales, marketing, connections like Bates or a handful that
‘Congratulations on...’ instead of ‘What professional development, research, etc.,’” you are hoping to expand, technology is
have you been up to lately?’“ says Allen. “Networking, done right, is going to play a role in your interactions.
sales, marketing, professional develop- “Today, people have the ability to com-
Where ment, research, etc.” municate and share information in a way
Whereas Allen approaches networking Ferrazzi suggests taking the pressure off that has never been known before in the

2 © 2009 ExecuNet | www.execunet.com | 800.637.3126


history of mankind,” says Bates, referring every weekday. creating online profiles 2-to-1. In addi-
to the Internet. • Sign up for LinkedIn. Find all your tion, 56 percent of executive search firm
Allen quantifies the value of using networking contacts. Write one professionals and 57 percent of corporate
online tools to network. For example, in endorsement every weekday for 15 recruiters find candidates through net-
a two-hour speaker-driven networking minutes. working, making it their most successful
event with 50 people, you might interact • Find five people who are out of work activity for identifying prospects.
with 10 people who may or may not be and help them with their process. Ferrazzi recommends that executives
relevant to your current goals. Or, Allen Spend 15 minutes on a different one immediately begin to put some network-
says, “you can spend the same two hours every weekday. ing steps into action. “I know you can
writing a blog post which will be read by find a way to reach out and meet a few
several hundred people; posting in two or Do you use online services to more people this week in the things you
three discussion forums read by a few build your professional network? already have to do. Could the next boring
dozen people each, and looking up five Never ............................................10.2% chore be an opportunity to meet someone
highly relevant people on ExecuNet or Rarely............................................26.5% important to your life? Of course, and
LinkedIn to contact and introduce your- Sometimes ....................................40.2% you’ll never know how significant that
self. Which is the better use of your time?” Often ............................................17.3% relationship will be until you go out there
John Reinke, an ExecuNet member All the time.....................................5.8% and build it.”
since 1993, generously runs what he calls Source: ExecuNet, 2008
a free “turkey farm” for individuals who Why How strong is your relationship
lose their jobs. “It reminds me every day Taylor recalls how it was just six years ago with members of your network?
that I could just as easily be on that side when she began actively building her net- Weak...............................................1.8%
of the glass looking to get ‘in’,” says work, thinking that she had nothing to Poor ................................................6.8%
Reinke. “So what should you do first? Take offer others. “Necessity is still the mother Good ............................................49.8%
ExecuNet seriously when they say do x, y of invention, so I started anyway. What Very good .....................................33.5%
and z. Your five-year-old résumé claims I learned was to listen carefully to each Excellent .........................................8.1%
that you are ‘an innovative problem-solver,’ person’s needs and the value they had to Source: ExecuNet, 2008
so here’s a problem to solve. Where’s your offer. That enabled me to start making
next paycheck coming from?” connections between people with compli-
Reinke has a checklist to help people mentary needs and talents.”
activate their networking foundation: “Before long you will have a rich net-
• Renew ExecuNet for five years. Read work and people will be looking for ways
the articles every day for 15 minutes to network with you,” Taylor found.
every weekday. In addition to the corporate karma
• Buy a lifetime subscription to you’ll develop when you help others
JibberJobber. Put all your networking achieve their goals, there’s a self-serving
contacts in. Call, email, IM one every benefit to networking too: executives
day and ask if they need help with credit networking as their most successful
something. (Give help before you have activity for creating career opportunities,
to ask for it.) Spend 15 minutes daily outpacing responding to job postings/

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