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It’s amazing how many people ask this question. Of course, the answer is “No.” No one (except those of you with a pushy boss) is forcing you to meet new people, strengthen relationships with people you already know, have enjoyable lunch meetings, learn new things, or go new places. It’s perfectly fine to remain the same old you with the same old friends and business associates.

But… should you be interested in expanding your horizons, the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Contrary to popular belief, it’s very easy to be successful at networking if you remember a few simple things……

First of all, it’s not work, it’s fun.

Networking is an exciting activity where you get to go interesting places, meet new people, and learn new things. So the first step is changing your mindset. Relax, take a deep breath, and start out by imagining the amazing things you’ll be learning as you meet new people. And remember, that odd feeling you sometimes get in the pit of your stomach, it’s your body getting ready to follow those butterflies to beautiful and sweet smelling new experiences.

Secondly, you need to prepare.

That’s right, prepare just like you would if you were going to present a detailed report to your boss. Think about how you want to present yourself. Of course, since you will meet a variety of people under many different circumstances, you need to have a number of different things to say ready to go. After all, meeting people while looking for a date does require saying some different things about yourself than meeting that potential business client.

Third, it’s hard to prepare without planning.

Maybe planning should come before prepare. It’s your choice…  just do both. Planning is really very simple when we’re talking about networking. There are no extended PowerPoint presentations required. Merely think about what you want to achieve. Why are you going places? Who would you like to meet? What are the measures of success for a new encounter? I happen to believe it helps to write things down, but that only means using the back of that old envelope to make a few notes…  No computers required.

Fourth, it should be fun.

Now I know I already said this, but I’ve noticed how many people seem to forget this. So I figure a little reinforcement is required. It is impossible to make a good impression with someone when you’re working too hard. Relax, enjoy yourself. The worst that will happen is someone won’t talk to you again. Then you get to go someplace else and meet some other people. Who knows, one of them might be that great client you’ve been looking for.

Fifth, practice.

Successful networking and developing new relationships is like anything else…  the more you practice the better you get. Don’t for one minute think that all those people you see who look so at ease haven’t practiced. Sure, some people have the good luck to have better natural skills, but they still work at it. Politicians, actors, famous executives…  they all have coaches and advisers who help them polish their message, fix up their image, think about how they come across. If it’s good enough for these folks, maybe you should give it a try. Personally, I find the best coach is my mirror. It never lies and never talks back. Try practicing introducing yourself to your mirror every morning in a different way. When you get a few introductions you like, try them out on other people.

Sixth, just do it.

You might have heard this before. It’s just as true for networking as for any activity. Get out there. See what happens. Figure out what works for you. Stop going to the places where you never meet anyone. Find new places to go. Try new things, new ways of introducing yourself, maybe even a new tie or scarf and see what happens. Life… and networking… are an ongoing process. You get out of them what you put in to them. They occur over time… so give them a chance. Time is critical, don’t expect instant results, sometimes it takes years before someone needs what you have to offer. Don’t get discouraged.

Finally, have fun.

As you can tell, I firmly believe that if it’s fun it’s easier. You come across better. People like you more. They want to be with you. So it feeds on itself. As more people want to be with you, more people want to be with you. As you realize how much fun you are, you become more fun. It’s an amazing thing. And it will work for you.

Tip of the Article: Networking… just do it

Steven Smolinsky steve@ConversationOnNetworking.com. Author with Kay Keenan of Conversation On Networking: finding, developing, and maintaining relationships for business and life. Sign up for their free newsletter at www.ConversationOnNetworking.com

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In addition to the new website we learned about at our meeting in September, there is a new way to communicate with other members of the Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network (MACN). If you are a member of our LinkedIn Group, you have access to some interesting new communication capabilities, such as:

• Discussion forms: Simple discussion spaces for all members.
• Enhance roster: Searchable list of group members
• Digest emails: Daily or weekly digests of new discussion topics which your members may choose to receive.
• Group home page: A private space for your members on LinkedIn.

To access this functionality in LinkedIn, go to your home page in LinkedIn and click on Groups in the personal navigation panel on the left side of your screen.

You will be redirected to a page that looks like this:

This is my page and yours will reflect at least one group – MACN’s – assuming you have joined it. I have underlined the four settings you will see (the “manage” setting is for administrators of each group only).

If you click on “Discussions” you can start a discussion or participate in existing discussions.

If you click on members, you can see a list of all the MACN members in LinkedIn who have signed up for the MACN LinkedIn group, starting with yourself and sorted by degrees away from you. You can also easily search for specific members of the group by keyword.

If you haven’t already joined the MACN LinkedIn group, you can do so by clicking this link, MACN LinkedIn Group, or on the profile of anyone who is in the group already (use me for example) and then click on the MACN logo displayed in my profile (scroll to find it). If you don’t see the MACN logo, click on “display more” and you will.

You can also discover other groups within LinkedIn you may wish to join by searching for them via the quick search capability at the top right of any LinkedIn page (see the graphic below), by changing the search target to “Groups” and entering keywords, like the College or University you atttended, any Company you worked for, and any interest or expertise area you may have, like “Wireless” or “Six Sigma”. The primary benefit of joining groups is the fact that all members of groups you belong to are included in the search domain for you, in addition to the people who are 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree members of your network. You may invite them to connect with you because you belong to the same group. You don’t need an introduction.

Learn how to keep abreast of these changes in video technology with Jim Shulman, longtime member of the Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network. Jim is by no means a professional videographer, but by using simple tools—selling for less than $130—he has created compelling video presentations for his business and for his clients. He’ll discuss the emergence of “blister-card technologies,” formerly highly sophisticated technological approaches that are now easily within the range of consumer purchase.

About Jim Shulman

Since 1996 Jim Shulman has run Marketing Results, a marketing consulting firm specializing in the needs of successful wealth management professionals and non-profit organizations. His experience has ranged from marketing feminine hygiene products to professional welding equipment and Franklin Mint-type knockoffs. Clients run the gamut from sole proprietorships to Fortune 100 organizations, with quite a bit in-between.

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In May 2001 I found myself suddenly out of a job. My not so challenging and well-paying job came to an unanticipated and abrupt end. A rumored corporate restructuring had, rather simply taken place and eliminated my position along with that of several hundred other executives and management personnel.

Darn. This was definitely not in my plans for the summer. Find another job. What was that cold, clammy feeling? The sudden loss of the JOB resulted in an almost irrational panic. What happened to my security? What about health care and benefits? Who was I without my business card? Was my identity what I did? I experienced a whole busload of questions and emotions any spouse/parent/homeowner/person with obligations understands who have been through a similar situation.

Financially, I was in decent shape. I had several large bonus checks I was due, had a decent severance package, good investments, and some savings to draw upon. I didn’t see any immediate financial concern. Health care would be provided by my employer through the end of the year.

My immediate tactical plan was simple. Take the summer off. Organize my “campaign”. Play some golf. Enjoy our shore house. Start networking. Get my resume together. Meet with the outplacement firm. Get “back in the saddle” and start my official search right after Labor Day.

Great plan. My first “official” networking event was 9/11/2001. I was leaving an Execunet breakfast in Princeton that morning and heard someone ask “What’s going on at the World Trade Center?” More than my job search changed that morning. 9/11 didn’t impact the job market for my specialty (senior sales) that much. I began actively interviewing for senior positions in early November.

I’d never had difficulty interviewing in the past. In fact, most job offers seemed to come very easily and without much effort. My interviews now were different. I found myself struggling in interview situations. I was in my fifties. Interviewing for positions that I was totally qualified for. With a demonstrated history of exceptional performance in similar positions.

I rang up an impressive total of senior level interviews from November through February. There was a consistent result. I kept “blowing” the interview. I left knowing that I’d not done my best. It took me a while to finally figure out the problem. I simply did not want to go back to the corporate world. Truthfully, I hadn’t been happy for many years in the corporate world. The JOB provided benefits, decent compensation, the illusion of security, and a sense of identity. But Happiness? Not by a long shot. The last time I’d been happy in the job? Almost 25 years earlier!

And now? The outplacement team asking tough question. “What do you want to do?” Honestly…..I didn’t know. I had a long list of things that I didn’t want to do. Mostly I wanted this “process” to be over with.

Lots of friends and supportive people helped me through this period. I did a great deal of reading and reflection and came to realize that there were people who were passionate about what they were doing. I remembered that, for several years in my early 30’s, I, too, had been passionate about what I was doing…..working with a group of people I liked, admired, and wanted to be around that was building something we thought was important.

Passion. That’s what I’d been missing in my last job and the one before that and the one before that. I had not been passionate about what I was doing. It was my JOB, not my avocation. My job interviews reflected this lack of passion. True, I could certainly do the work. But, it would have been another job. I would not have been fully engaged. I would not have been “a part of” the new company. In reality, if I’d been doing the hiring, I wouldn’t have hired me!

And what do employers want to hire? Passion. It’s really that simple. And that challenging. Given equal candidates, the candidate with passion will always win. Given unequal candidates, the candidate with passion will often overtake the more “qualified” applicant who is not as passionate.

I began to suspect I was on to something. Was it possible that there were a great number of us in transition who were looking for jobs just like the ones we’d lost…that we’d hated when we had them?

I knew lots of people in transition whose “elevator speech” certainly didn’t sound passionate. Come to think about it…did I know anyone in transition who had been passionate about what they were doing before they entered the job market. Only a handful came to mind and those folks seemed to land very quickly.

Maybe there is something to this “passion thing”.

The question now became “What am I passionate about?” Not an easy question to answer if you don’t know. I didn’t know. I knew that I wanted to know and that, somehow, my being laid off had provided me with the opportunity to live my life in a new, different, and more passionate way.

This insight into passion. This reawakening of the possibility of living passionately once again. The excitement I began to feel as I considered the possibilities helped me realize that my layoff was, in fact, a huge gift. I was being given the opportunity to examine and, hopefully, answer major life questions.

Who was I? Why was I here? What did I want? What is my purpose?

These were not new questions to me. I had been exposed to them several times in the past. Somehow, this time they sounded different. Looking back, I think I gave myself permission to ask them in a new way. With reflection, I reached several conclusions.

First, it had been a very long time since I’d asked what I truly wanted and then acted upon it. I’d been living in the world of “should’s”, “have to’s”, “must’s” and “ought to’s” for over fifty years. I wasn’t even sure I knew how to ask and answer these questions. I was sure about one thing however.

Second, if I didn’t ask them, no one else would.

Third, they demanded an answer.

Five years later….

I am both grateful and pleased to report that I have found my passion. It is using my gifts in service. The journey that brought me to this place had two distinct phases.

First, I needed to identify my gifts. I now know that they included networking, communications, motivation, facilitation, innovation, and gratitude. I delight in using these gifts to help others succeed. I have learned to see myself as a servant and a steward. I am meant to do something with these gifts. I choose to serve.

Second, I needed to decide whom I wished to serve. My clients are servant leaders. Leaders who support their employees, give back to their communities, and view their leadership as a stewardship opportunity. Some are not-for-profit. Some are for profit. A growing number are social entrepreneurs.

I look back on the fourteen months from the time of my layoff and The Stewardship Group’s formation as a rare gift. One that was given to me quite unexpectedly and that I had to grace and good sense to open.

Richard Bach says it best: “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly.”

The viewpoint five years later is totally different. The line that used to exist between “work” and “non-work” has disappeared. Now, there is just life. That’s what happens when you start to live passionately.

I’ve learned that my life is not about a destination. It’s about enjoying the journey. I’ve met some wonderful sojourners on this new path. They are my clients, my business partners, my mentors, and my friends.

I share my experience in the hope that you may find something of value for your transition. Countless people who helped me. They listened to my “whining” in the early days while reminding me that it was time to get into action. They offered constant counsel and support. They suggested books and workshops that nourished me. They mentored me and praised my successes.

I honor and thank them with these reflections in the hope it may benefit others on the path.

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On a recent business trip to Ohio, I drove across our beautiful state via the Pennsylvania Turnpike. During my first rest stop, on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I decided to buy a fresh cup of coffee. The woman who worked the food counter had a great sense of energy and enthusiasm – she was obviously a morning person. “How may I help you?” The pervasive aroma of brewing coffee, fresh-baked pastries, sizzling bacon and fried eggs filled the room and created an appetizing ambiance.

When it was my turn I ordered my coffee, pulled a five dollar bill out of my wallet and as I handed over the money to the woman, she asked, “Would you like a breakfast sandwich - they’re fresh?” So there I stood cash in hand, in the presence of an upbeat person who invited me to taste the food which filled the room with its enticing aroma. A positive response added $2.50 to my total. After she handed me the coffee and breakfast sandwich, along with a nice “thank you,” I stepped to the side to add a little milk to my coffee. I overheard the next transaction in which a customer ordered a cup of coffee and sure enough, this woman made the same suggestion which resulted in another breakfast sandwich sale. This added another $2.50 to her cash register.

Being curious, I waited in the lobby, ate my breakfast sandwich, and watched this counter person serve more customers. She sold an additional four breakfast sandwiches in about five minutes. This woman’s sense of timing was outstanding. She waited until a customer’s wallet or purse was out, with cash in hand and then she asked her upselling question along with the value proposition, “They’re fresh.” Wow, I thought – that’s an additional $10.00 every five minutes which could translate into $120.00 an hour. As I walked back to my car, I remarked to myself that this woman understood how to upsell.

For many professionals upselling is one of the least understood business behaviors, which can have a most dramatic impact on revenue and profitability.

Opportunities to upsell abound in every segment of business. When executed with courtesy and skill along with a good sense of timing, upselling can add significant revenue.

Steve Coscia will be speaking on How to Create a Signature Story at November’s MACN meeting.

About Steve Coscia
Steve Coscia makes his clients more profitable. Steve is the immediate past-president of the National Speakers Association MidAtlantic Chapter. He has earned the right to speak about customer service because he managed it for twenty years. He has written three books and created numerous training DVDs and audio CDs. The word TELE-STRESS is a registered trademark of his company, Coscia Communications, Inc.

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Create the right organizational climate and help people succeed

People have an enormous capability to perform. Unfortunately, all too often an owner, executive, manager, or supervisor holds them back. The restrictions relate to a failure to develop a positive environment and sound leadership practices. As leaders, you can “unleash the power of people” by focusing on seven elements to create the right organizational CLIMATE and on seven actions to help people SUCCEED. Implementation of the concepts summarized by these two acronyms — CLIMATE and SUCCEED — can guide a leader in developing a high-performance organization. The following touch on each point and invites you to develop the concepts as they apply to your particular situation.

Customers – our reason for being

Business is essentially serving people by performing a task or supplying a product. Everyone in an organization must realize that there is no need for that business if there are no customers. When problems arise, it is imperative to remember that the customer is always right (even when he or she is wrong). If you have built relationships by talking to customers in a friendly and upbeat manner, addressing them by name, knowing their preferences, and making them feel important, then it will be easier to handle complaints and approach them as an opportunity to reinforce a customer’s loyalty. Welcome any feedback and use it to improve service.

Leadership – guiding and nurturing success

This specific aspect of leadership addresses the big picture that has a pervasive effect on the organization’s climate. If a leader defines an organization by clearly stating its vision, values, and goals and develops a positive culture with open communication, the staff will be positioned to make a meaningful contribution. That last sentence describes a huge undertaking that, if done properly, will yield huge rewards. Disseminating these big picture issues throughout the organization can be most effective when leaders “walk the talk” and practice “management by walking around”. Also, leaders should reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, and management style to identify opportunities to improve effectiveness.

Improvement – continuously seeking to do better

Whether seeking radical improvement through re-engineering or incremental improvement through Total Quality Management, the key is to instill a continuous improvement mindset in every person in the organization. Don’t buy into the saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. It is a myth. Striving to implement “best practices” and then maintaining that status requires a proactive approach. There is no standing still…only gaining or losing ground versus the competition.

More Risks – courage to venture “out of the box”

To realize higher rewards for the organization, a leader must encourage taking calculated risks so that people are willing to accept the inherent risks that come with out of the box thinking. People have to feel confident to stretch and not play it safe. When a leader moves in this direction, he or she has to expect more failures. However, failures in higher risk instances can often yield better results than being successful in less aggressive endeavors. For example, striving to improve profits by 20% and falling short by 5% is still better than making a less challenging goal of 10%. To encourage risk-taking, a leader should consider rewarding failures (even when they don’t turn out as favorable as the example) as long as the risk was reasonable and not careless or haphazard. As a means of driving the point home, a leader might use the phrase “if you are not making mistakes, you are not trying hard enough”.

Attitude – I have a choice everyday regarding my attitude

Public speaker and radio show personality Dr. Charles Swindoll once wrote “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it”. Instilling the proper attitude in the members of the organization is one of the single most important acts of a leader. Adopting Swindoll’s approach shifts the focus from negativity, blame, faultfinding, or excuses to one of searching for what I can do to make a positive difference. Displaying a “can do” attitude is infectious and the organization can really feel a power surge.

Teamwork – working together to maximize results

A leader must put a high value on the importance of the organization’s success over the individual’s or the basic instinct to seek personal recognition will dominate. The question individuals should ask themselves is “what can I do to help the team accomplish its goals?” In the sports world, it is easy to see the impact of teamwork. In the business world, it is just as important. Effective leaders will practice and encourage behavior that promotes teamwork. A good leader builds up people, rewards team accomplishments, and discourages tearing down individuals.

Effectiveness – doing the right thing right the first time.

The positive attributes of being effective, efficient, and productive are bundled in this statement. Too many short cuts and quick fixes can eat away at an organization’s effectiveness. When stressing effectiveness, a leader should emphasize the need to think of the short and long-range impact on others when considering an action. Also, people must communicate clearly to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

By focusing on the above seven elements, a leader can create the right organizational CLIMATE. Now a leader also must help people to SUCCEED and achieve their potential by taking the following seven actions.

Selecting – assigning the right person to the right job

Whether hiring, promoting, or transferring employees, it is critical to select the right person. Investing the time and effort required to make a good placement will pay dividends for years. A leader should consider the impact on the job, peers, team, and organization as well as the individual. Try to address current and future requirements. Where teamwork is vital, the leader must create the right team mix by integrating strengths, weaknesses, skills, and personalities to complement each other.

Understanding – caring about the staff’s personal well-being

People become committed when they feel that their leader empathizes with their personal concerns and is looking out for their best interests. A leader helps develop these feelings on a daily basis by showing an interest in people’s jobs, accomplishments, families, hobbies, etc. Communicating openly and honestly while minimizing secrecy engenders trust. Hearing, responding to, and valuing feedback, ideas, and concerns encourage people to contribute freely. While you cannot give everyone everything they want, you can show an appreciation for where they are coming from. That does not require agreement, only respect.

Challenging – daring people to perform and grow

Leaders should set stretch objectives that are difficult and may even appear unreasonable. If the organizational climate rewards risk taking, people will be less apprehensive about accepting the challenge. The prize should be commensurate with the risk and the outcome. When setting objectives, you should consider job and outside activities (e.g., continuing education) while addressing company and personal growth goals. People have a tendency to rise to the occasion and display the creativity and determination to succeed.

Coaching – providing feedback, guidance, and mentoring

Reviewing performance regularly and giving constructive feedback are basic requirements. Mentoring and guiding development and career growth enhance the process but still can result in people falling short of realizing their potential. A leader who creates and takes advantage of “coaching moments” can accelerate and increase the development. This entails stopping shortly after an event to reflect on what just happened, analyze what went right or wrong, and identify how to improve performance in the future. This is not a critique but a learning experience.

Empowering – delegating authority and expecting accountability

People can perform best when given the responsibility and having the latitude to work effectively. Leaders should encourage employees to keep assuming responsibility until told otherwise. After delegating authority, you must accept the fact that things might not be done in the same way or as well as you could do it. However, in the long run, the organization will be stronger if you show patience and tolerance while people are early on the learning curve.

Energizing – acknowledging effort and performance

Acknowledgement is a powerful motivator. A leader should not miss an opportunity to recognize small and large contributions informally and formally. You can start with a simple “thank you” or “good job” or “I appreciate your efforts”. This cannot be overdone. When you reward achievements, ensure that the reward is timely, appropriate, and meaningful. Just as important and frequently overlooked is the need to address poor performance. Failure for a leader to do so irritates good performers who hate to see someone “getting away with something”. There is a temptation for the good performers to drift down to the lower level. On the positive side, leaders should provide employees with leadership opportunities and look for situations to expand their responsibilities.

Developing – providing specific and on-going training

Although this was implicitly touched on in coaching, developing employees should be directly addressed by focusing on training requirements. What initial training do new employees need? What job specific training is required? Consider equipment, technology, skills, job content, business drivers, etc. If the employee displays management or executive potential, you have to identify personal and business areas for development.

Being a leader is challenging and demanding. The good news is that assistance is as nearby as your people when you create the right organizational CLIMATE and help people SUCCEED. If you take the time and make the effort to “unleash the power of people”, then you will realize the satisfaction that comes from being the leader of a high-performance organization.