Dr. Earl R. Smith II

admin says:

52 Responses to “Networking to no apparent purpose”
1.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am e
Saideh Browne wrote:
Well, it took me some time to develop a method of effectively network. I don’t like taking cards at parties just for the sake of doing so. Conversely, you never know who that person may know who can really help you.
When I meet someone (virtually or in person) I asess very quickly what services I can offer them or their group of friends. If I don’t think its a great fit, I say so immediately. Time is so precious and I don’t think anyone has the time to enter their info into a PDA/Outlook etc just to have a “list.”
2.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:15 am e
Bill Carey wrote:
I’d guess that for many people, it’s simply the fear that you might miss out on something positive - “if I only connected with the right person, my dream job would come along” or something similar. Personally, I’ve got several reasons:
- The bigger my network, the greater my value to someone else (more likely to be a “hub” of introductions)
- Find long-lost colleagues through 2nd or 3rd party connections they are likely to know
- Covering all my bases as you never know what the future holds
3.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:18 am e
Richard Tabor Greene wrote:
Social indexing theory finds that topic is all important–are you aware of or responding to the needs, interests, or capabilities of people around you. The average across several national populations is 7%, daily life and work are conducted while each of us, on average, knows and responds to approximately 7% of the needs, interests, and capabilities of those around us (primary groups average 12, acquaintance groups average 128). Civilization as we knows it operates at abysmally low levels of social indexing. It makes you wonder what civilization and daily life would be like were we all operating at 14% or even 21%?
I did a little experiment–sending 12,000 pdf copies of a 200 page creativity paper of mine to stranger professors in 40 nations, in a 2 month period (200 names per night sent). All 12,000 professors had some sort of vague interest in or relation to creativity, the paper’s topic. I got 2000 positive replies, 990 of them detailed and personal. Those 2000 have become my own personal creativity network, producing, in the last 12 months alone:
2 book chapters
1 book contract, now being done
17 conference presentations
22 paid lectures, mostly in China and Korea and Taiwan
133 paper exchanges.
So networking, in general, IF it is topic specific, can have terrific returns, for each year for several decades, I suspect. The key is distinguishing network in general, without regard to needs, interests, and capabilities from networking based on any or all of those three. Social indexing theory lays all this out for us (and students).
4.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:19 am e
Pete “NetDoc” Murray wrote:
My first attempt at Networking was with a group called BNI. It was obviously done to benefit your business and it cost me @ $400 0r $500 a year to join. I benefited from that organization as I do from LinkedIn in many ways.
Connections: I met a number of people I needed to meet (like my accountant).
Focus: Constantly talking with these strangers helped to grasp what my core business really was. This focus has proved to be more than beneficial in the long run.
Practice: I get to run trail balloons as well as try some new approaches here. This way I get to figure out what works BEFORE I get to my prospective clients.
Fun: How can you not have fun here. I look forward to reading questions from the “Afterlife” as well as many others.
Mindless? Not on your life.
5.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:22 am e
Mackie Ozcoidi wrote:
I believe networking is useful as long as there is a specific, identifiable purpose to it (ie: keeping track of and updating work related contacts) - though it may be a pass time for some people, it has proven worth the effort to me. I do not find it useful only to find long lost colleagues, but also to help you keep in touch with those contacts you don´t want to lose track of. Which as well, helps you remain visible to other contacts from your or other industries, and “be in the loop” in a number of industry events, job fairs, and other.
6.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:24 am e
Deb Kolaras wrote:
My opinion is people network for different reasons and it’s relative to that person’s particular goals. I disagree that it’s natural; some people haven’t the foggiest idea how to network - they’re bashful, not sure of the intent and feel uncomfortable to the whole time.
As for ROI, I’m not sure I consider my networking an investment in anything other than time, and before you say “time is money”, bear in mind that for my purposes, I consider it a learning experience in addition to being able to build a network of professionals. I have never looked at learning as an expenditure of my time, but more of a great use of it and a core piece of who I am; which brings me to my other reason for networking - to be a resource to friends, colleagues and myself - I encounter people that have skillsets and knowledge in areas I don’t. I have networked with recruiters so that friends of mine can find other work, I’ve networked with other copywriters so we can share ideas, I network with other coaches for the same reason, not to mention the support that comes from it all. It’s also worthwhile for me to become a resource for them, someone they can come to for advice or ideas. For me, it’s worth it. Along the way, I’ve also gained some excellent new clients, but that was from building some of those networking contacts into actual friendships, based on similar attitudes, values and interests.
I guess the short answer is it works if you’re meeting or exceeding the goal and purpose you have for it.
7.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:27 am e
Brian Lindholm wrote:
I’m willing to bet professional networkers are the same types of people that pursue business opportunities with the “throw a plate of spaghetti at a wall and see what sticks.” There’s no underlying method to their madness. Instead, the professional networker gropes for new contacts that will be useful through sheer luck.
Maybe it’s driven by a pseudo-pack rat instinct…collect for the sake of collecting. Who knows…this would be a fascinating study though
8.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:29 am e
Katie Baird wrote:
Measuring your ROI on advertising or your business plan is one thing, but I have never thought about analyzing the return on my networking efforts, which equates to rating effectiveness of various other human behaviors and endeavors (won’t go there).
Just as some people are endlessly collecting new friends in their personal life, those who exhibit that same approach to networking might simply be fueled by amassing large amounts of such interactions.
“Mindless networking” to me is characterized by those people who work a room by grabbing you and shoving their biz card in your face and then abruptly moving on in the same manner around the room.
We depend on our networks for all kinds of information (biz leads, advice, and even recommendations on where to stay or dine when traveling, etc.), and we never know exactly when we may call on someone in the network we have developed for this or other data.
Therefore, I see many unquantifiable benefits to networking when it consists of an authentic exchange between two people with one or more areas of shared interest.
9.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:32 am e
Michael Rothman, MD wrote:
I am not convinced that one can fully measure the effects of being networked - as the experiment lacks a control situation.
Clearly being networked is more likely to be beneficial than NOT being networked (work effort of inputting data aside).
If just one connection provides an important commercial/business outcome, then ROI is satisfied, at least in my case.
My personal networking return might be less significant than the return to my connections - indeed, recently one of my connections hired another of my connections BECAUSE of my connection to both through LinkedIn.
I also utilize LinkedIn as an (relatively) always-current electronic Rolodex to store contact and background information on many of my contacts.
10.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:34 am e
Fran Paikoff wrote:
It is an interesting question but it sounds to me that you have a lot of doubts. I have found from a business point of view that it gives you opportunity to:
a) answer questions like this which showcase yourself or your business.
b)Gain knowledge of relative industry information through other experts in your field.
c) Find persons of the same like as yourself.
If you don’t work it, it will be a disappointment to you but you need to manage your expectations.
11.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:36 am e
Gerry Mann wrote:
It’s difficult for me to put an ROI on helping someone else get a job and preserve their financial future, at least in the short-term. It does help me sleep better at night.
In several cases, I’ve obtained more help from a network of people that I have never met than I have from my “inner circle”. These opportunities would have been invisible to me without networking.
Personally, I approach networking as finding ways in which I can lend a hand - help make an introduction, pass along some experience masquerading as advice, be a sounding board and or share an opinion to a group of people that are likely to be interested in hearing it.
So, for no apparent purpose other than a random act of kindness, count me in among the networkers!
12.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:37 am e
Sheilah Etheridge wrote:
I find that many don’t understand the true value of networking at all. Yet if they were to lose all of those contacts and never be able to tap that resource again they would quickly learn the value of what they had and didn’t appreciate.
Others don’t understand how to network. I had a gentleman send me a very nice in-mail requesting to connect. I replied back and thanked him for suggesting we connect and gave him my email address. He sent the invitation and I accepted.
Once I accepted I wrote him a thank you note and said please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you. In return he sent me a nasty gram and said he considered my message spam and that if I was going to spam him with thank you messages or any messages then he would just have to remove me from his network.
Clearly, that is a man who doesn’t understand the value or the process of networking. LOL
I don’t think it is mind candy when we are actually helping others as well as ourselves. The payoff is not always monetary in nature but if we had to pay others for the knowledge we share in networking it would quickly become evident what the value is.
13.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:39 am e
Wilton Alston wrote:
Dr. Smith, I think you raise an interesting question, but I think your friend was drawing a conclusion without requisite data. In fact, she was drawing that conclusion on a basis no more rigorous than the shallow water foundation for which she derided “professional networkers.” That’s ironic.
To the larger point, it seems to me that Richard Tabor Greene has hit the nail squarely on the head. Networks work, IF you work them. (They don’t have to be formal, but that’s one outgrowth of the Internet age.) Those networks can only “work” however, if you HAVE them. Trying to decide if the ROI on having a network — or the general process of networking — will be “worth it”, without having one, or playing out the (absolutely unpredictable) interplay within the many and varied components in one’s network, is resting one’s analysis upon assumptions that cannot be made a priori. In other words, you can’t tell if the relationships (or their effect upon you) will be valuable until AFTER they’ve been valuable! I realize that sounds “touchy-feely” but my own experience shows it to be true.
For example, I have seen fantastic gains in my own personal life, DIRECTLY as a result of networking (and intellectually exchanging) with groups of people I have never, and will never, meet. These gains have been both financial and psychological, as well as “personal growth.” While they have been much larger than I ever “expected”, the potential exists for even more. Now, did I PREDICT these gains before I joined those communities? No. Could I have calculated the ROI on those relationships beforehand? Absolutely not. In point of fact, I didn’t even consider the possibility of a return when I joined and began to (hopefully) contribute.
My short answer then, and as usual, expressed way too “long”, word-wise, is this. If you want your network to be beneficial, it will be, but only when you contribute something to the conversation, to the network. Trying to figure out what you’ll get out of it — ROI wise — is the type of standard cart-before-the-horse-ism, that can tend to pollute many on-line communities. (It can pollute many face-to-face relationships, as well.) Expressed in an admittedly corny fashion, what I’m trying to say is this: giving often leads to getting, but joining (or having) doesn’t necessarily equal giving.
14.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:41 am e
Sherri Dohemann wrote:
like all other things it would seem quality over quantity; also as one learns about it, the approach becomes more streamlined. For example, increasingly, I try to stay within my industry and related finance areas.
From your perspective, it’s absolutely valid because you have had a career, however those of us who are establishing or those job-seeking, have you read Knock Em Dead?
On 3/25/08 9:49 AM, Sherri Dohemann added the following clarification:
Oh ROI is if that activity gets you information or a resource closer to your goals, if not, not to be repeated.
15.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:42 am e
Julian Stodd wrote:
I did some research into what benefits people feel they get from networking. The results indicated two broad categories:
People who felt that they used their networks largely for marketing - pushing their skills and services outwards, but that their networked connections didn’t have much input to their own work (about 70% of respondents)
People who felt that they received an input to their work from their networking - that their work output was stronger from being able to bounce ideas around and try new thoughts out in a safe environment (about 30%)
Interestingly, that minority of people who used their networks to bounce ideas around were more financially successful and happy with their creative output.
16.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:44 am e
Ron Graham wrote:
To some extent — SOME, mind you — my own networking would be classified as “mindless” by the definitions you are working with. This is simply because I don’t know yet where the contacts I make will take me. In that sense, networking is worth doing for its own sake.
I am not at all comfortable with the idea of rejecting a potential contact because there is no apparent *business case* for the connection *today*. These people are still people, you know. And I emphasize “business case” and “today” with good reason: you might find value with your contacts totally outside of the business context; you might also find that missing business context tomorrow.
I think people who overlook contacts because there’s no immediate “ROI” completely miss the point, but that’s just me. If they feel they can replace one potentially precious person with another, then I say: more power to them.
17.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:46 am e
Robert Fornal wrote:
Professional networking, beyond giving me a positive feeling because I do spend a lot of time working with other professionals, helping them to become more professional … gives me a strengthened network of individuals that I can go to as I have a need or assistance. These are people that enhance and strengthen my ability to do my job as a professional.
18.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:47 am e
Bob Garrett wrote:
I recall the early days when the internet was being a viable method to advertise a business, let alone communicate via email. There were a lot of companies, that didn’t get in on it right away and had to play catch up.
I believe what we are seeing is the bleeding edge of Social Networking. Gartner, Oracle and SAP, among others have said that this will be the wave of the future in terms of doing business between companies and key customer contacts.
I can also remember when an SE (system engineer) at IBM told me over lunch one day, that “mouse thing or another” will never catch on. People will and can only type.
So while its a little rough around the edges, and it doesn’t seem like an unneeded resource and there are 100’s of solutions, its here to stay. The smart folks will realize that, something that has grown so quickly in such a short span of time, will change how we interact with each other.
My suggestion is get on the wave and ride it into shore. You have only just seen the beginning. There is a lot more to come.
19.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:48 am e
Mark Davey wrote:
You never know what is around the corner. The stronger your networks network the more “YES” and “CAN DO” answers you can give.
ROI over a lifetime of networking or meeting people and having conversations … PRICELESS!
And what Richard Tabor Greene Said
20.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am e
Ajay Ohri wrote:
ever struck up a conversation with a stranger.congratulations you are networking. while most people network naturally some consciously cultivate them and create a bit awkwardness when their efforts seem forced to the chagrin of the rest of us. networking through the internet has led me to one contract from us,multiple job interviews from us, Singapore, friendships with people from Russia ,Israel and US.
i feel good talking to people of different cultures ,learning new stuff, mostly its just a part of human nature to be social. and yes i network with people i like. if you network with people regardless of they are like you or not like you..then you are plain shallow - not a shallow networker…..hope that helps
21.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:52 am e
Luis Hernandez wrote:
I think it’s all a question of format and venue; networking opportunities that center around particular topics where you can demonstrate some level of expertise or somehow positively represent yourself as an individual can directly result in increasing your potential new business or other professional opportunities. Attending events at cocktail lounges three to five nights a week and collecting cards while sucking down gin and tonics are a whole lot less effective in my book, unless collecting business cards is your primary goal. Like anything else, it’s a question of effort - showing up and handing out or collecting cards with people you have no chance of ever calling or hearing from again is essentially worthless. With sites like Meetup.com, make finding a targeted networking group that much easier, including ones in venues more conducive to substantive conversation.
22.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:54 am e
Carrie Williar wrote:
There are plenty of networking opportunities around. Attending every event is a sure way to sap yourself of the vital energy necessary to be effective at work. It’s in your best interest to spend time evaluating quality and frequency of events you choose to attend (thank you for teaching me this, Matt Whitely).
It’s also crucial to remember that quality contacts will always outweigh quantity. When building a relationship, keep in mind that a person will respond with more trust and openness if you are truly present during your time together. ‘Professional networkers’ would likely have trouble in this area if they’re concerned about quantity of contacts instead of quality.
23.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:56 am e
Jay Hammond wrote:
I suppose I am a “professional networker” in the sense that I make shallow water connections and collect business cards constantly. Being a writer it is perhaps easier for me to see and measure ROI on networking because everyone has a story and chances are I can sell it somewhere. I am also the creator of a LinkedIN Group and connecting with strangers is part of the job description. When exchanging cards or invitations or even just small talk, I don’t always know when or where or how the information will come in handy, but I am comfortable that it will.
That said, my “network” is tightly defined as those I actually know (and would recognize on a street corner or in a chat room) and have some type of relationship with beyond just exchanging contact information. I am not a LION, although I am connected to a few, nor do I exchange information without some deliberation (I think that is more a woman thing/safety issue than anything to do with networking ROI). I try to be friendly and approachable while maintaining my own personal space. This approach has worked well for me, professionally and personally. I’m not sure if it would work as well, or be as satisfying for others, but I would certainly be interested in finding out!
24.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:58 am e
Veronique Serritella (Trusal) wrote:
This word is, indeed, a small world.
You just never know…
25.
March 26th, 2008 at 11:00 am e
Melanie Beres wrote:
I love this question on LinkedIn. I have about 144 contacts and they fluctuate depending on if I get a return for my giving.
One can always tell the smarmy people. I think those that have contacts over 150 are suspect smarmies.
Networking is no different than building a friendship and one can’t possibly have 1000 friends and reciprocate properly.
The only reason to have over 150 contacts is if you run some sort of networking group or events group … or are an entertainer. That is all I can figure?
To have friends (To be a genuine networker/friend) that means you have to constantly invest in your friend and genuinely so.
Constantly be thinking about your friends while you are out … with those you meet … who could help your friend, on your toes about your friends needs … and then go out of your way to give it to them … sit back and see if you get a return.
No return … try giving again. No return on the second try … move on.
Smarmie networkers are also ones that hide their connections from their network because doing so defeats the purpose of this web site.
Besides, all one has to do is type in the name of their 1st connection to see all of those in their connections, anyway.
Smarmies are takers and collectors. They never accomplish their goals and never figure out why?
What is really funny is smarmy people think they fool people.
I truly feel sorry for smarmies because they don’t realize that they are (those that can’t reach their goals) natural born “takers”.
Takers are like watching a train wreck! It is fascinating to me. Yes, I find sick pleasure watching train wrecks and I don’t feel sorry for them … I avoid them with every step I take.
Why? Train wrecks wreak havoc on other people’s lives and destruction lies all around them. And, they think they are the victims.
You know the ones … they hop on to the latest and greatest … don’t put any effort in unless it is going to give them something and are constantly flitting around between ideas, jobs … etc.
One is who they surround themselves with, as they say. Smarmies also love to surround themselves with scum .. play with fire … and honestly think they won’t get burnt!
And, smarmies always get burnt because smarmies burn one another when ever they have to.
HAHAHAHAH!
Thought this would bring a chuckle.
26.
March 26th, 2008 at 11:02 am e
Clifford Brody wrote:
Looking for a quantitative ROI from networking is like trying to herd cats, or my trying to seek out a tangible ROI from the wonderful 3 mile hike I sometimes take along the C&O Canal near Washington DC. The key word is “sometimes”; too much of anything can indeed become “mindless”.
Worse, making ROI a primary measure of the value of networking is tantamount to wearing an invisible sandwich board reading: “I want more from talking to you than you get from talking to me.” Kind of an ROI killer, don’t you think, especially because most people will spot that sign, invisible though it be, and when they do, they will clam up (as well they should, or ROI = 0).
For networking, look to serendipity: a magic combination of what you have to offer, what you’re willing to “give back” (not just professionally and more as a person) to someone who may be searching for an answer, and how interested you really are in hearing points of view that may not be your own.
Others have already said it here better than me: Unless you are ready at the outset to put something IN to the mix - the physical effort in the case of my hike; the intellectual and social effort in the case of your networking - there’s nothing you’ll get out of it.
27.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pm e
Mary Lascelles wrote:
The job I took after two years at university (that break started as 1 year but grew into 5) was one I found through a newspaper ad. The ad was like looking through a keyhole to the inside. I could see into it very little. Then I applied and learned more. It wasn’t until I was hired and started working that I learned so much ABOUT so many things this little country gal from Minnesota having moved to Mpls. just hadn’t run across before. It opened more doors. My world started opening up. I see LI as very similar to that. I’ve met some fascinating people, made some friends, and more people are understanding what it is I do for work. Doors are opening up in a good way. I’ll let you know the increase to my bottom line after I’ve been here longer. So far, so good.
28.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pm e
David M. Crisp, Jr. wrote:
Networking is like anything else: You get out of it what you put into it.
29.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:24 pm e
Miccilina Piraino wrote:
I get a lot out of the networking I do both here and outside of here! I have learned a lot about things I had only known small amounts before, ie product branding, new marketing techniques, the latest sites to find the best creative minds and most of all. I learned not to be intimidated by the process of marketing/selling yourself. It is not hard, just takes some good advice such as I have found here.
I have also felt a great sense of comradeship from those I exchange ideas with everyday. I have answered questions from those both in my network and generally. I have actually HELPED find connections to assist people in my network and sent profiles on to some that could use them. Mindless accumulation of connections just to connect is silly. I am almost up to 100 now and I have to struggle to make sure that I keep a personal connection open to all of them at least once a week. I don’t foresee my network growing by leaps and bounds, only one creative mind at a time. As a LION, I accept invites but hope those doing the inviting really think I can be of assistance sometime!
30.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:26 pm e
Kurt Welte wrote:
One of the respondents puts a limit of 150 as being the level of being “suspect swarmies”? and that she can’t see the need of having more than that number. In my own case, I have more than 150 friends between those I went to school with; Those I became friends with at the eight Military posts I served; at the eleven educational institutions I attended from grammar school through College; and at my current place of employment. Then there are relatives, which at the moment, my family contacts through Genealogy number about 162. And then there are those I know in my current company. Granted, Here at LinkedIn I am only currently connected to 4 school friends, 5 writers that I have met online, (I’m beginning to write so they are important future contacts), 4 from my time in the Army, 9 of my relatives, 49 from my current company, (including a few that moved to bigger and better things). That would leave 79 contact remaining.
But If I want to have a network that gives me a broader view of the world than I currently possess, my network, while somewhat passive in nature, meaning I am not sending them business propositions every week, or inside scoops on new emerging markets, I read their comments on line and learn. I answer their questions when I feel I have a point of view that will help put a smile on their face to lighten their day, (to the serious folk, sorry about that. I think smiles make us live longer).
I do agree that mindless gathering of contacts does not make life better for most of us, including myself. While I consider myself a LION, I do not wish to be one of those that has thousands of names, but as many people that can tell me new things, explain how their part of the world views me and my part of the world. (I cherry picked to have a contact in every region of the world). And as a collective, you all provide an amazing breadth of knowledge that I greatly appreciate. I’ve put to use some information from you to improve how I relate to others, and how I handle people and projects. On days that have been dreary, Tim has made me laugh, and in turn I went and made others feel better that day.
So the size of your network, large or small should work for you. I accept that some people only want 10 connections because it works for them. I accept that others want 150 because it works for them. And a few want everyone because it works for them. My one limiter is that when I get to the point that there are too many to send an e-card to them on their birthday, then it’s time to cut back. So far everyone that has shared their birthday I send ecards to, so I do not feel I have gone too far.
31.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:28 pm e
Lynn Kindler wrote:
I really dislike the word, “network”. It feels cold and shallow. What I am is a connector. I like connecting with other people that I find interesting and who I can learn from and share with about life. It turns out that because I’m genuinely interested in people, I have met a lot and they have a wide variety of background. I also enjoy connecting people up with other people that will make them happy. Recruiting, for me is like playing with a big giant puzzle. It makes me very happy when I place someone I like into a job that I know they’re going to love and also that a client that I really like is going to hire someone that I know they’re going to like.
To me, it just takes too much effort to go into connecting with people for any other reason. It’s about “letting go” and swimming into the bigger pool of what makes the world go around. Let people get to know you, be genuinely interested in others and see what comes about.
Yes, you can be specific about which people to connect to for jobs etc., but I believe a genuine interest in the human behind the job is imperative.
32.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:29 pm e
Ratnakar Sadasyula wrote:
I think Networking works, when you stop treating it as a numbers game. Generally many people network, to show off that they have a lot of contacts. And later it becomes more of a numbers game. He has 150 contacts, i have 200 contacts kinda attitude. But of those 150 or 200 odd contacts how many are really effective. How many people do you really get to talk to? How many of them are of help to you professionally or personally? I think these questions need to be answered.
For me networking is something that helps in a lot of ways. For eg when i came to Korea here, i had no clue about this place, nor about Indians living here. However thanks to a community on Orkut and some Yahoo Groups, i was able to get in touch with a number of Indians living in Korea, and that was helpful for me too.
Again working as a techie, it helps me during an issue, where i can post it on any online forum, or discuss it with some of my pals in my network, who are also techie like me.
So i guess at the end of the day, it is not how many contacts you have, but how effective those contacts are. I would rather have 50 contacts with whom i am really close, rather than 150 odd contacts many of whom, i dont even talk to.
33.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:31 pm e
Allen Laudenslager wrote:
Most people who are networking are looking for clients. Of course the problem is that very few are open to vendors. It’s the equivalent of two used car salesmen with no customer.
I’m still trying to figure out how to make networking work. I’ve been advised to “network” for 60 years and still haven’t found an effective strategy.
34.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:32 pm e
Lynda Goldman wrote:
I’ve been networking for several years, sometimes to great effect and other times less so. The difference lies in the quality of your network. Networking within a specific industry has helped me get some large corporate clients that I never would have gotten on my own. The other key point is following up, which people seldom do. I send a weekly ezine, and as soon as I meet someone, I ask their permission to add them to my list. They almost always agree, and this gives me the opportunity to build a relationship with them, because I can offer them quality content without any pressure. Many times someone I met and put on my list will contact me about my services.
So yes, networking really does work, but you have to work at it, and know how to network to build relationships. I hope this helps!
35.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:33 pm e
Andrea Stenberg wrote:
I agree that too many people network because they’ve been told it’s the thing to do, but don’t have any strategy or goals. Just showing up doesn’t do much for you. I’ve spent some time watching and talking to people I consider to be exceptional networkers as well as having done a considerable amount of networking.
You need a goal for networking. It’s not just a social occasion - that’s what your friends are for. After some experimentation, my goal for a networking meeting is to have a real conversation with one to three people (depending on the size and length of the meeting). I find this more productive than trying to have superficial conversations with many people.
I try to be prepared - have a well rehearsed elevator speech or have an announcement about my business or have a free offer that will encourage people to visit my website.
As for ROI - I think that’s something that is very difficult to measure as networking is a long-term investment. That said, I got my best customer from a networking meeting. I can attend this meeting until I die and the fees have already been covered by what I’ve billed so far from this customer.
There’s another networking meeting that I attend mainly because it gets me out of the house and is cheap. I really wasn’t expecting any work as a result, but am finding I am getting reasonable financial return on it as well.
36.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:34 pm e
Peter Nguyen wrote:
“Networking” is a very ambiguous word and concept.
It’s better, I think, if people are clear (at least to themselves) whether networking is, for them, 1. meeting new people or 2. generating leads.
Isn’t success at anything in life based on CLARITY and EXECUTION?
That is, by being clear about what the (measurable) objective is, one can execute impeccably in order to hit that target.
Your question is excellent because a great many people, I suspect, will begin to think seriously about WHY they network.
The good news is that every person has something good to offer to the world, so even people who have been “mindlessly networking” did not necessarily waste time. All of one’s connections CAN be useful in some way or receive benefits from oneself.
In other words, a person who has networked without a clear goal, is like someone who has built the second, third, fourth floors of a big building.
The only thing missing is the first floor, so that one’s network can, so to speak, be grounded in reality and can provide useful benefits.
37.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:35 pm e
Kay Stout wrote:
I see a similarity between networking and fishing or playing baseball. Fishing - - if you do not bait the hook and drop the line in the water - - you do not catch fish. And there is no guarantee that the fish you catch will be a keeper. But you do not stop fishing. Likewise with baseball - - you do not hit every ball that is pitched to you, but if you want to stay in the game - - step up to the batter’s box and swing. If you miss? Swing at the next pitched ball. Eventually you will make a connection, but only if you continue to stand in the batter’s box.
38.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm e
Linda Clement wrote:
I network pretty much all the time, primarily for my own personal enjoyment. I like getting to know people, talking with a variety of people, learning new things, challenging viewpoints, etc. For me, the ‘point’ of networking is the activity itself, rather than any ‘value’ that might come from it in the end.
39.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:38 pm e
Melanie Beres wrote:
People miss little red flags about others easily. In defense of those that are “Professional Networkers”, there are no real rule books when it comes to building relationships/networking.
If you are not raised in a family that mentors and guides one’s future career, people flounder and have to learn the hard way.
Our schools don’t teach what matters such as life skills, leadership skills and the importance of ethical relationship building.
My magazine has filled the emptiness by providing rules of ethical networking at our events. The “Pay it Forward” attitude seems to be working.
40.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:39 pm e
Lina Mantovani wrote:
I had to reflect a little about my interest in this professional network before I came up with an answer, since the intention differs from other more “socially” inclined ones; like myspace and facebook.
Initially, however, my contacts list contained only those whom I had personal contact with - it was very localized. Currently, though, my LI network associates to those whom, for one reason or another, share similar opinions and beliefs disclosed through Q&A or Group commentaries.
Hence, the amount of interaction I display in this professional network is defined by sharing professional experiences, expertise, and/or ideas in strict correlation to work.
Granted, some topics are “fun and off-topic” and I enjoy those just as much. In fact, sometimes much more than the ones where mental activity is required! However, it is a public board where what ever you say has potential to damage your professional reputation.
Now from a beneficial point of view, professional networking serves various purposes.
A) These contacts may become handy if a specific need arises in the future that falls within their expertise. Assuming, of course, that your contact acumen is varied.
B) The prospect for new professional ideas and/or decisions increases.
C) It provides a place to brain-storm and sometimes to vent!
D) You meet people whom, given normal P2P circumstances, you may not get a chance to meet.
E) It is a good way to compare what’s going elsewhere in your field of interest.
F) To a current student it provides a wealth of information about their careers, as well as a good possibility to find a mentor or a job.
G) For job seekers these new contacts may be a good source of job leads.
H) If you choose, your profile, experience, and prior job recommendations are open to hiring managers in the system or recruiters; obviously giving you more visibility and marketability.
I try to remember each contact and the occasion that made it possible to connect by making a comment on my address book. In the same manner I try to keep my connections away from becoming a number.
To me it’s not about the quantity of contacts, but the quality of your contacts. I’m definitely not in a race to win the “Most Contacts” award from LI, nor to achieve the most “best” answers. I just contribute to the best of my capabilities and enjoy the experience.
Great topic, by the way!
41.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:20 am e
J. Abildgaard wrote:
This seems to be more than one question, and I will try to answer them all by telling you what I have used, and still use my Linked In network for.
I have found and have been offered jobs through Linked In which in itself makes it worthwhile to network in here.
I use Linked In to keep track of the people I have met on travels and while living in other Countries. This is valuable both personally and professionally because otherwise I might have lost/forgotten them!
I have met wonderful people from all over the World through Linked In. Some of them I have met in person, some of them I only know through Linked In. This is unbelievably valuable - both professionally and personal, because if it wasn’t for Linked In I would never have met them!
Today I got some good advice relating to my job. I received the advice from someone in my network, - a person I only know because I bothered turning up for a Face 2 Face meeting arranged through Linked In, and to get the advice, I only had to ask!
I have advised people personally and professionally through my Linked In network.
When I have the time, I read the Q & A’s in Linked In. Just to read all those thoughts, gives me an insight in things I otherwise would never have known. I receive my knowledge only because I bother to turn on my laptop and open my eyes! And the advice I receive through the Q & A’s I have been able to use both personally, for my studies and for professional reasons!
Some of the people in my network I rarely speak to, but I know that maybe one day, one of us might need the other ones help, and just to know they are here makes it worthwhile to have them in my network.
Sometimes I speak to people in here just because I find them nice and because it can be good fun. Not everything is serious when you network with other people, and it shouldn’t be. Like in ‘real’ life there has to be room for everything, and that is what Linked In offer and that’s why I am here!
42.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:22 am e
Loretta Mullany wrote:
Networking doesn’t have to be mindless. It can be a state of mind. The ROI will depend upon the individual. When you network with an open mind, you get exposed to new ideas, different ways of thinking, different approaches to the same issue, etc. It’s a form of data collection. Then if you can use the data, or you can share it with someone else who can use it, there is value. Even if you set aside 90% of the data you encounter, you have still increased the liklihood that you will be in a position to make smarter, better informed decisions. Why would you put a price on that? Even reading questions people post here on LI and trying to determine why they would ask a specific question can be a form of networking and education. More data.
However, I am aware of a few people in business who are allowed to spend a lot of time networking at the cost of spending time on other job related activities. In cases like that, the employer certainly has the right to expect a measurable ROI for time and resources sponsored with company dollars.
Personally, I love to network because people can be so incredibly interesting. It’s a quality of life issue. And it’s fun. If I networked with a rigid agenda, the agenda blinders might limit these benefits. Maybe it is a matter of what style works best. for you. When I participate in this joyful, non-agendized and,perhaps, mindless networking, we get our best inspirations. We discover profitable opportunities we hadn’t even considered for our business plan. I meet people who should join our company or who might help one of our clients. We build relationships. We make friends. We learn from each other. Somebody I gave an informational interview to over 10 years ago just gave me two good business leads. How do you measure that ROI?
43.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:23 am e
Howard Berkowitz wrote:
It may depend on one’s interests and industries. For example, I am not an open networker in the usual LinkedIn, or indeed social networking, sense. I am, however, involved in telecommunications and Internet service provider (i.e., “real” networks), where there is a constant need to manage interconnections, trace back to the apparent source of a fault, etc. In that arena, the more connectedness the better — either in social networks, or networks defined by the Border Gateway Protocol (the mechanism that effectively draws the interprovider maps of the Internet).
44.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:25 am e
Flyn Penoyer wrote:
I think the problem is that most people don’t truly understand networking — they are really thinking “prospecting” instead.
Networking works when you become a valuable resource to others — not when your purpose is to make them a value to you!
You have to remember what Zig Ziglar said — “You can have everything you want in life, if you just help enough people get what they want.”
I ask every person that connects with me to send me a note as to how I can help them and who they need to meet — I have almost 300 connections and maybe 3 have sent me that information.
Of all the invitations I have received most never even state a reason it would make sense to connect, most are recruiters of course, they just seem to want a connection. I accept all connections, but I only invite people if I feel a connection that makes me valuable to them.
45.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:26 am e
Jason Frey wrote:
I think there is definitely some truth to this. I know that my LinkedIn network is filled for the most part with people I work with or have worked with. I’ve only got about 80+ connections and the list serves as an address book. I don’t communicate with all 80+ people regularly, but have their information should I need it. It often comes in handy.
Others I have noticed, have amassed 500+ direct connections (not just the recruiters either). I do find this suspect and wonder if they are contact hoarders. I find it hard to believe they can remember all 500+ individuals.
46.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:27 am e
James Parsons wrote:
I tried to skim and read as many of the responses as I could - but glad you got a lot of energy on this one. I think this is another side of the “open networker” v. close networker question that seems to come up periodically here - for which there seems to be a broad continuum. However, I do want to weigh in since I think the perspective of “what is in it for me” or looking at a bean-counter view of the time/benefit analysis misses the more organic nature of networking.
As others have noted, I think networking is about connecting to people that resinate with you, and then seeing how you can contribute - help them, sometimes asking help, etc. I don’t think the best approach is to see networking as hard-line “chit” counting - you did me a 5.2% favor, and I did you a 3.2% favor, so I still owe you 2%. I just don’t think that networking can be measured in such a way.
Often, the mistake I see those that view “networking” as dirty or bad is that they simply are too short-sighted to see long-term values. Relationships cannot be rushed, and I actually find trying to demand value too quickly doesn’t honor the nature of developing understanding or trust with someone, and can hurt its ability to grow. Sometimes such trust/connections can and do develop very quickly, sometimes ever so slow - if ever. However, often contacts are like seeds, you have to plant them way in advance - some grown into plants to harvest quickly, sometimes slowly, sometimes never.
I have noticed that those who discount quantity of contacts and assume such must indicate a lack of quality, are more than willing to contact large hub/connectors when they need the contact. I often hear, “Why do I care about that person - they don’t relate to me?” (as if they actually looked close enough to find out). Problem I have in such instances is that when they ask for help they want the fruit NOW. Even if I can help them network when they urgently need to do so, such does not honor that it takes time to develop the trust - and I might not be able to help them on that short of a time-line.
I was glad to see that most of the responses saw a long-term view of these things and didn’t take a strict, harsh view of networking. I think each person has to judge for themselves, and it might also impact whether someone is truly introverted or extroverted. Extroverts can have a lot of great contacts, while introverts are likely to classify too many as “shallow.” Such is somewhat egotistical in my view. Simply because someone can only have 150 close friends does not mean all people are so limited in their capacities. However, as with prior notes, introverts often may be more in need of help from others socially in many areas, while extroverts tend to be those that help them manage their issues.
Lastly I would say that someone recently mentioned a mathematical formula that allows them to analyze networks to determine the hub. The logic in the position is having to assess networks when you can’t penetrate them, but you have to know about them - such as the US need to understand terrorist cells or something from the outside. However, it strikes me as the ability to understand the soul of something by trying to dissect it and measure it molecules. The soul and spirit of relationships cannot be so easily measured or assessed for value - you only know them to be valuable when they are, and sometimes that value changes with life over time. While it might require scientific guesses to know what life can live on the moons of Jupiter, I don’t think networking is subject to scientific or business over-analysis - when you do have the ability to get into the water and feel it. Marketing efforts, maybe, can be measured, projections of possible responses, yes - some MBA report can be done, but the value of networking cannot be in my
47.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:26 am e
Jeffrey Brown wrote:
I guess I would have to include myself among those who network without a specific business purpose and without tracking ROI. I don’t, however, consider myself to be staying in the “shallow water.” On the contrary, I seek out what I would characterize as the “deep, rough seas” in which it is more difficult to navigate. I seek out people who I find interesting, and I use that criterion, rather than their potential business utility, for wanting to include them in my network.
I respectfully submit that your question oversimplifies the issues it contains by deriding at least one motivation for networking that I consider perfectly legitimate: “mind candy.” I view it as mental stimulation, the provocation of thought that is, for me, equivalent to air in terms of basic needs and certainly not trivial or irrelevant to me as a person.
I have heard it said that young people must accumulate enough mental stimulation in college to carry them through the mind-numbing years of their working life. Putting aside for now the question of whether “young people”, just a few months out of high school, are sufficiently prepared or mature to derive the maximum benefit from higher education, I didn’t choose philosophy and anthropology because I thought they were the most marketable degrees, and I don’t intend to settle for a mind-numbing life.
While my work in information technology genuinely interests me (in part because, as with nearly everything, I can connect it back to philosophy), it also serves to subsidize, if you will, what I consider to be my life’s work in theoretical ethics.
I have the same general financial needs as anyone else, and I act rationally and diligently to ensure that my professional life meets those needs, yet over 90 percent of the people in my LinkedIn network offer no foreseeable direct financial or professional advantage. For the remainder, that advantage is incidental to their being a part of my network. To paraphrase Kant’s second formulation of his Categorical Imperative, I invite people to join my network not as a means to an end but as an end in themselves.
I don’t mean to infer that people for whom networking is done purely for business advantage are acting unethically. Rather, I simply mean to point out that their motive is not the only legitimate motive for professional networking.
Many of those within my LI network, the professional organizations of which I am a member, and informal groups of my peers within the computing community provide me with essential intelligent “mind candy”, and I hope they find my efforts to reciprocate to be successful and equally rewarding.
48.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:27 am e
Matt Whitely wrote:
Networking can be stressful, if you are not networking in the right places. I have been looking at networking very closely these last couple of months, BNI in particular. My main thing is what is my return by going to these events. I feel that the best places to network are the organizations and functions that my TOP, GOOD FIT clients attend. Do your homework on your clients that you feel are good fit’s for your company. In my field, I wanted to be a expert that specializes in printing solicitations for non profits and educational institutions.These were good fit organizations for my company. I found out that the decision makers in these organizations belong to the Association of Fundraising Professionals. I decided that I should network there with QUALIFIED prospects vs BNI (to many bad fits, wasted networking time). Even when I attend a event and network, I also get knowledge to pass along to my other clients. This helps make me a expert in their field which is value added to them!!!
Thanks Carrie Williar for mentioning me in your reply. I am glad that I can help!
49.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:29 am e
Sharlene Vichness wrote:
It’s not about the brief encounters at networking events. It’s about developing a relationship from these contacts. It’s about trying to help someone else and it will come back to you threefold. Be a connector for the biggest ROI. It doesn’t happen overnight or by collecting a ton of cards. It’s about developing strategic relationships over time.
50.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:30 am e
Robert T Youngblood wrote:
I truly believe that Networking benefits an individual when the intentions are right. A true networker knows that there is value in building relationships. There are different levels of relationship that one may enter and although one may not have time to cultivate a ton of relationships, a brief encounter can have a major affect on business and/or personal growth.
If a person is simply building relationships or networking just to get a return, it may seem like a waste of time - but in essence, the ability to empower and impact people and help them to succeed provides me with the confidence to know that the people that I network with are people that I can either help or they can help me. Yet one never knows WHEN you will need that help or when you can lend that help to them.
51.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm e
David M. Crisp, Jr. wrote:
Ill preface my response with the fact that I’m a salesperson. I view networking differently than those who are either not in sales or don’t feel they have a “sales component” to their career or lives (I feel we all do, or should, whether we like it or not). So my view is through the eyes of a salesman and I think that is important when you look at my answer to the question and its relation to others.
I believe many people who network feel they do it for career reasons (“it’s all about who you know”) to keep things on track while another subset does it in case they get “downsized”, assuring themselves a quick safety net. This approach to networking is laborious and, as it appears superficially, nets limited return so they don’t see the value (our “immediate gratification” culture in the U.S. has programmed this into us). As a salesperson I view networking as omnipotent opportunity. As you know, selling is a numbers game. The more times you play you increase your probability for success. The more people you connect with, the more intelligence you gather, the more you sharpen your focus, and bam!, you hit the target. Another analogy is the fishing net. The bigger my net is the better chance of catching a fish.
With that said, if I spend some period of my time networking (for the sake of argument, lets say its a lot of time) and nothing interesting seems to come out of it I don’t see that as fruitless. It’s an investment. At some point it pays off. I might network for a year before something good happens. If something good happens, it’s totally worth the year spent! I don’t quantify my “network ROI” in an empirical way, because I don’t need to. I know it works. I can feel it working while I do it, so the success is happening all the while. I touched very lightly on sales being probability statistics. I also believe its physics too. I little Newtonian (a body in motion tends to want to stay in motion) and a little Quantum (time, space and energy are an all-in-one interwoven fabric) so if you keep doing the “right things” good things will happen. It is the order of the universe! This formula works for me because I get results from it. It proves itself out to me constantly and I can see the return in my career path as I look in the rear view mirror and as a plan my direction for the future.
Lastly, meeting new people simply expands horizons. You tap the minds and experiences of others. This is invaluable! How do these people even find it necessary to ask whether networking has an apparent purpose???? I don’t get it…..
I hope I made my initial response less cryptic than my first offering. J
52.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:12 pm e
Richard White wrote:
How do you measure if all those brief encounters are worth the effort? Has it been worth the effort in real ROI terms or is it just mind-candy?
It depends if you go networking for customers or introducers/advocates
Networking for customers is more measurable but is only any good if you are networking where you are likely to meet potential customers.
There has been some research done here in the UK by nrg-networks.com in terms of developing advocates who will introduce you to their clients. Meet 10 people who arel likely to know your ideal customers. Follow up with 5 of them for a 1-2-1 meeting and nurture 3 and eventually 1 will become an advocate. According to their research, if you do enough activity you will reap the rewards in the short term as well as the long term.
I recommend anyone selling IT services to network but to also to do other forms of lead generation too