The next attribute we need to discuss is your networking energy.
“How will you go about achieving your desired results? The answer to this you can call strategy.”
–William E. Rothschild, Corporate Strategist
Chapter 3
SHAPING YOUR
NETWORKING STRATEGY
Identifying Your Networking Energy
Yes, it takes energy to network because the actions and activities you pursue while networking are usually outside your normal frame of reference of work, home, family, leisure time, etc. So look subjectively at yourself to see how you might fit into one of the following four networking energy categories.
The Laid-back Networker
If you identify with this style, you are likely to have a relaxed, go-with-the-flow attitude toward life. You adapt easily to a variety of situations. You like spontaneity and are not very driven by discipline and detail. You probably have many friends and acquaintances, because you are so easy to get along with. You often live in the moment and are generally satisfied with your life.
With this networking energy you are not all that rigorous about setting goals and making plans. However, if an opportunity presents itself, be sure to respond. Being affable, accessible and easy to talk to, you are likely to find people coming to you with networking opportunities. You need to be sure to recognize this as an opportunity and pursue it with interest and commitment and follow-through. You need to be careful here, as opportunities to network effectively can easily be overlooked because one of your laid-back characteristics is to be open and unfocused. And you often need prompting to make commitments and to follow through. Knowing this, you should allow your sense of “opportunity management” to kick in. This style can be very effective as you have little to do other than recognize opportunities and be mindful of your considerable strengths . . . and perhaps weaknesses. You have the ability to manage to your benefit and the benefit of others.
Beyond one-to-one networking, use your laid back style to provide “informal” leadership in your company. If you are asked to be part of a special project, go for it—even if it means putting in some extra hours. Recall: one of the special advantages of your networking energy is that you are so easy to get along with. In a group setting this characteristic will be noticed by others and people will naturally want to associate with you. This will make whatever ideas and contributions you choose to share with the group meaningful, often with little effort on your part, because people are already receptive to your energy style. Likely, your participation will also open up additional networking opportunities as people identify with you. As compared to other energy styles discussed below, your problem will be which opportunities to pursue, not trying to get your networking engine started.
The Involved Networker
If this suits your personality, you are probably interested in a wide range of things and you are curious to find out as much as you can about them. You join groups and pursue activities because you like sharing ideas, information and experiences. You enjoy connecting with others as well as making a contribution to whatever you participate in. You might pursue something that may or may not have networking potential for you because you enjoy learning and interacting with others. You generally have an inquisitive nature. Therefore, you are prone to ask questions to find a common ground for discussion or a continuing relationship. This is an asset you should not overlook.
Whereas people having other networking energy styles might miss an opportunity because they do not probe beyond the surface of a situation, you are likely to uncover an opportunity that is not only a surprise to you but a good fit for your networking goals. Also, use your ongoing curiosity to advantage: When you meet a company colleague or outside business person, use your curious nature to ask questions to find common ground. Learn about the other’s capabilities and areas of expertise, and be sure to share your own. Certainly, people are more interested in people who are interested in them.
They will remember your sensitivity and caring, even though they might not ask you much about yourself. When this occurs (and it occurs more often than perhaps you would like it to), don’t be perturbed about their not asking about you—tell them about yourself anyway. Some personality types need to be led. Once you open the door to their learning things about you that you would like them to know, they are more likely to ask questions to learn more or to clarify what they have already heard.
Being interested in other types of personality, you will be careful not to brag about your accomplishments and things that are important to you. The simple difference between bragging and telling is that one who brags puts the conversational emphasis on how something that happened made the story teller feel. A good story teller, on the other hand, concentrates on relating the facts of the story, allowing listeners to reach their own conclusions about the value of the outcome.
So make connections—as many as you feel comfortable with. You never know when one of you might want to refer a networking contact to the other. Also, gravitate to individuals who not only complement your interests but who can increase awareness of your skills and abilities. People talk. If you project a positive self-image as someone who is skilled, experienced and concerned about others, you may find unsolicited offers and overtures coming your way.
The Strategic Networker
You’re a thinker and a planner, by nature. You tend to analyze situations, consider risks and rewards, and anticipate probable outcomes. You’re thoughtful and logical and good at orchestrating situations to bring about the results you want. Strategic networkers know exactly what they want and, with focused energy and absolute determination, they seek to make it happen. Strategic networkers are results-oriented and usually make good use of their own time and that of others. This is a specific strength that strategic networkers can use to their advantage as they are able to use their planning skills to help others—which makes them especially valuable to their networking partners.
Consider this strength applied: Your networking partner is a capable, knowledgeable and motivated attorney, who is having trouble reaching the decision maker in a company for which he would like to perform work as outside legal counsel. He has tried a number of times to set up an appointment with the very busy decision-maker, but to-date has been unsuccessful. Over lunch with you, he relates his frustration. Being strategic, you decide to reach out to him and share a strategy that might help him get the appointment he desires.
After discussing with him his efforts so far, you share with him a strategy of engaging the decision maker’s administrative assistant to help with the process. Engage the admin by explaining the importance of a meeting. Perhaps you have heard that the decision-maker is struggling with an ongoing legal problem that his legal staff has been unable to resolve, and you have figured out an approach that he should be interested in hearing about. The need for an intervention should be explained in enough detail for the admin to see the importance of setting up a meeting with the decision-maker.
In this instance you are “networking” to help your friend with his agenda. This is just as powerful an assist as simply networking together for access to contacts. If I were to guess the number of strategic networkers in any population versus all the other styles of networking energy, my guess would be that only 10 to 15% of networkers are truly strategic. The point is, being strategic is an uncommon gift: use it effectively