Date post: | 21-Dec-2014 |
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Strategic Networking
Skills for Women
10 Keys to Success
Presented By:
Mary Ann Holladay&
Vicki Whiting, Ph.D.
Why Strategic Networking Matters
Harvard Career Services reports that between 65 and 85% of all jobs are obtained through networking
Learning is experiential, we learn from the experiences of others
Women are behind the eight ball. We’re not making progress – we’re gaining in education, but not in earnings. Think about networking powerfully to gain ground
You never know what the next contact will mean, what the next person will bring into your life
10 Keys to Success
Know your purpose
Make yourself memorable
Play to your strengths
Manage your online reputation
Choose the right communication approach
Master communication skills
Diversify your network
Listen, listen, listen
Make new friends, but keep the old
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
Know Your Purpose
What are my objectives?
What is the benefit of this networking opportunity?
Is there a fit for me?
Keeping it real:
Alignment vs. Dissonance
Give vs. Get
You don’t always have to say YES
When invited to join, assess the cost/benefit ratio
Test drive before you buy
Don’t burn bridges
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose
and direction
- John F. Kennedy
Make Yourself Memorable
Who was the last person you met who really stood out?
What them unique?
Keeping it real:
Do something that sets you apart
Keep every commitment you make
Give as well as take
Make yourself memorable
Differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack
Remember details about others
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
”In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”
- Coco Chanel
Play To Your Strengths
What are you best at?
What first impression do you make?
What risks are you taking?
Keeping it real:
Do what comes naturally
Be aware of first impressions
Example:
Diet Coke Man Offer your talents and skills
Leverage other’s strengths to offset your weaknesses
Be natural, authentic
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
What will people remember about
you?
Manage Your Online Reputation
What comes up when you Google yourself?
What do your social media accounts say about you?
Are you in charge of your on-line activity, or does your on-line activity manage you?
Keeping it real:
You have to give online love to get online love
Emphasis has shifted to content, not merely presence
Remember, everyone can learn about you on-line
Create a strong LinkedIn account
Think before you post
Add content through all relevant social media channels
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
The Dangers of On-Line Mismanagement
Choose the Right Communication Approach
Call vs. text vs. e-mail vs. face-to-face
What are your rules of thumb?
Keeping it real:
Strategically choose your method
Example:
The power of a hand-written note
Timeliness trumps indecision
Make course corrections
Always respect people’s time!
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Master Communication Skills
How well are your thoughts organized?
How often do you leave a conversation and think about what you should have said?
How willing are you to open a conversation?
Keeping it real:
Remember, you can speak without saying a word
Ask non-defensive questions (avoid ‘why’)
Let someone else be the expert sometimes (the power of “I don’t know”)
Identify the right time and the right place for an exchange
Be courageous – Speak up!
Practice what you will say
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Diversify Your Network
What does your network say about you?
Mirror image or panorama view?
Keeping it real:
We like people who are like us
We learn through our differences
Jungle gym vs. ladder
View your network as an investment portfolio
Branch out at meetings
Get to know someone different
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Listen, Listen, Listen
How much of a conversation do you control?
What perceptual biases do you have when engaging in a conversation?
Do you physically engage in dialogue?
Keeping it real:
Don’t match their story with one of your own
Listening makes others feel valued
Listening has the power to save lives Maintain eye contact
Ask clarifying questions
Be aware of your perceptual biases
Admit if this is a bad time for you to focus – and arrange a better time
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
The more I listen,
The smarter I get
– Benjamin Franklin
Make New Friends, But Keep the Old
Who has been most influential in your success?
What new perspectives could you gain from meeting new people?
What direction do you see your interests and expertise heading?
Keeping it real:
There is never a bad time to reach out to an old friend
New friends bring new perspectives
Don’t overcommit to too many relationships
Know the difference between an acquaintance and a mentor
Reach out to past colleagues that truly stand out in your memory
Bring new connections into your network
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
What’s the worst that can happen?
Who would be a ‘stretch mentor’ for you to reach out to?
What network is most beneficial for your growth and development?
Keeping it real:
“You can’t get anywhere unless you’re willing to take a risk” dates back to Chaucer (1374)
Six degrees of separation, you know someone that knows someone
Don’t take it personally if the response is less than favorable
Leverage your connections
Connect for connection’s sake
Say ‘hi’ first
Reflective questions:
Tips for Networking Success:
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go
– TS Eliot