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