The historic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island was home
for the OrgPro 2002 Conference for members of the Michigan Society of
Association Executives, Michigan Chapter of Meeting Professionals
International, and Michigan Chamber of Commerce Executives. Amidst the
clip-clop sound of horse-drawn
carriages, the picturesque view, and the sweet smell of freshly made fudge,
conference participants came together to learn and network with each other.
The breakout session, “Building Better Bridges:
Networking for Personal Productivity,” presented by Harry K. Jones and
Kathleen J. Wheelihan of AchieveMax®, Inc., provided an
opportunity for attendees to explore what networking is, what it is not, why
it’s important, and some tools and ideas to start on or renew their skills.
Mistakenly, networking is sometimes viewed or
approached as selling, aggressive, simply passing out business cards, or
used solely for personal gain. However,
the true spirit of networking involves getting to know people and
developing relationships, giving without obligation, and exchanging business
cards when there is a reason to stay in touch, such as a mutual interest or
information or resources to be shared.
Why the emphasis on networking? In case you aren’t
already convinced through your own experiences or that of other people you
know, the following statistics underscore the importance of effective
networking:
A referral generates 80 percent more results than a cold call;
Approximately 70 percent
of all jobs are found through networking; and
Most people you meet have at least 250 contacts.
And while these facts are reason enough to focus on
improving one’s networking skills, there are other benefits of
networking too. Among them,
networking can enrich your life, providing new experiences and knowledge.
One of the best ways to get started is to consider what
you have to offer to the people in your network, such as special skills,
information, experience, or knowledge, followed by asking yourself what you
might need help with. Networking begins with listening and sharing—people
helping each other to achieve their respective goals. Little things as
simple as clipping an interesting article, sharing a useful website link, or
answering a question in your area of expertise are all ways to add value to
the people in your network. These things show people you care, help build
relationships, and establish rapport and trust so that when you need help it
will be there for you.
Remember, networking can be very rewarding, not only in
terms of business outcomes, saved time, and valuable information,
but also in personal satisfaction
because it involves helping others reach their goals. And that’s a great
feeling!
Kathleen J. Wheelihan is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®,
Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars,
and consulting services. Kathleen has made presentations ranging from creativity
to customer service and leadership to teambuilding for a number of industries,
including credit union, education, government, health care, manufacturing, and
real estate. For more information on AchieveMax® seminars, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our
contact form.
Publication Date: Summer 2002
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