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The Achiever Newsletter

motivational speaker Kathleen J. Wheelihan

Building Better Bridges: Networking for Personal Productivity

By Kathleen J. Wheelihan

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:
bulletA referral generates 80 percent more results than a cold call;
bulletApproximately 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking; and
bulletMost 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!

Motivational speaker Kathleen J. Wheelihan has made presentations ranging from creative innovation to customer satisfaction strategies and leadership skills to teambuilding.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

If you are interested in networking, you might also be interested in ...

Networking Training and Keynote Presentation Information

bulletNetworking Training - Networking for Personal Productivity
bulletNetworking for Personal Productivity Keynote

Networking Articles

bullet Words of Wisdom on Networking
bulletBuilding Better Bridges: Networking for Personal Productivity

Networking Books

bullet Networking Book Reviews
bulletTop Networking Books

 

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Motivational speaker Harry K. Jones has appeared all over North America addressing subjects ranging from stress management and thinking "out of the box" to the leadership skills and strategies required to succeed in today's competitive marketplace.

Motivational speaker Jeffrey W. Drake, Ph.D., has made many presentations on subjects ranging from communication styles and leadership styles to empowered teams and sales psychology.

Motivational speaker Kathleen J. Wheelihan has made presentations ranging from creative innovation to customer satisfaction strategies and leadership skills to teambuilding.

Melanie L. Drake focuses on the publishing and marketing sides of the AchieveMax® company.

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The AchieveMax® team of professional speakers celebrates its 30th year in business in 2010.
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