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Take a group
of executives and ask them which skill they are weakest at, have had no
training in, and yet know is one of the most important for business and
personal success. The answer will be networking.
Strange isn't
it, that such an important quality should be so neglected?
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Experts say
that less than one in 20 jobs is advertised - the vast majority are
created for the individual, because someone feels they would be 'good to
have onboard'.
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Outside of the
retail sector, virtually all sales are made to individuals in whom we feel
confident. That confidence is there because we know them, because
they are 'in our network'.
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Almost without
exception, the decision to promote someone is based on the power of their
network - when their name is mentioned as a possible contender for a role,
it is the subtle responses from others that tells us whether to go ahead
or not - and those responses are determined by the networking ability of
the individual.
"It's nearly two years since you ran that evening on networking at my
corporate induction course. The messages still haunt me - I realised
then how lucky I had been to land my job and how I needed to do a lot more
networking in the future. The recent restructuring reinforced just
how important the lessons you gave us were. I'm pleased to say that
I've just been told that I am being transferred to head up [XYZ] Division
- frankly, if it wasn't for your networking tips I'd have never even been
considered. Thank you."
We all know
that there are extroverts and introverts. Whichever you are, the
fact remains that it is networking that will land you results in your
present job, opportunities for future jobs, social contacts and friends.
Networking is
not difficult, but it does call for effort. You need to prioritise it, you
need to manage it, you need to nurture your network, and you need to
approach it with the right mindset.
This two-part
course will fire you up! It will help you see how to differentiate
yourself, how to manage and nurture your network, how to call on it and
how to extend it. Whether you are a little reserved or an outgoing
dynamo, you'll find there's plenty to think about.
The course is
best suited to a group of people who do not know one another very well,
and so it is often used as a module on induction courses, in graduate
development schemes, and leadership programmes. While it does
involve some personal effort, it does not adopt tedious experiential
activities to get the point across...
"I'm happy
to admit I'm a bit of a techie! I have my friends but I do not go
out of the way to make new ones, especially superficial ones. Being
on the Leadership Challenge was emotionally draining enough, but when I
heard we were doing a networking evening my heart sank.
Congratulations though, you made it far less threatening than I thought it
would be. The second evening was really clever and I discovered a
different side to myself. I look forward to putting this into
practice across the organisation."
These days,
networking is a combination of face-to-face and more remote activities,
and the course reflects this in its content and guidance.
The course
takes place over two sessions - the first being more formal and the second
less so. While it can be organised as a stand-alone course input,
the second session can be run alongside another activity, such as a
formal dinner, an evening reception, or something similar. This
provides an opportunity for the individuals to hone their skills and
reflect on what works well for them and what doesn't.
There is a
third component, which involves online follow-up - this reinforces the
messages and extends the learning.
For more
information, call me on 07785 222380 or email
gw@grahamwilson.org.
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