Walk Into the Future

Category: Networking

  • The long journey home

    Moving Forward Feb 2020

    (Image by Bluehouse Skis from Pixabay.com)

    “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home”.

    (Matthew 13:57)

    There’s an area I’ve had trouble making speaking inroads since I’ve been on my Walk into the Future journey—my hometown.

    Never thought my hometown would be the toughest place for me to engage, mentor and help others but it has proven to be a tough place to get invites.  The passage above is my reminder that I’m not the only one to struggle to get a message to people who know me—better folks have struggled with this same dynamic, so I guess I’m keeping great company!  It would have been easy to just give up and focus my energy into more productive environments but that would have been the simple way for me to proceed.

    Perseverance requires additional tactics to reach life and professional goals—so I decided to persevere and keep moving forward on this pursuit.

    Finally got the invite to speak during the MLK 2020 weekend at the MLK Banquet as the Keynote Speaker!  So, I went from seeking an opportunity in my hometown to having the honor of delivering an important message at the premier event of the weekend—no pressure! 😊

    My goal when speaking is always to move the crowd.  People want to be entertained, laugh a bit and take something tangible away from these events.  The theme of the weekend was:  Progression not Regression.

    Struggled a bit conducting research for the event since it was open to everyone in the community.  Different demographics, backgrounds, and denominations so I couldn’t go into the Keynote with a complete understanding of who would attend.  This freaked me out for a bit and then I decided to trust my process for building presentations—one slide at a time.

    Looked at previous presentations and blog articles to see if I already had something to fit the theme of the weekend.  Nothing matched completely but I recently completed a blog article centered around positive energy in daily interactions.  Decided to use positive energy as the progression and negative energy as regression during my speech.

    Dr. King’s 1963 I Have a Dream speech was future focused and still relevant in 2020.  Leveraged this information to continue to build the foundation of my presentation.  Didn’t get deep into Dr. King’s speech but wanted to use it to engage the audience since it was an MLK event.

    Introduced the concept of self-awareness to help audience members get a more personal appreciation of progression and regression.  Didn’t launch a deep dive on self-awareness but wanted the audience to understand how everyone can control progression and/or regression in their lives.  Self-awareness helps eliminate roadblocks, generates an Irie (positive) mindset and thoughts to create positive outcomes.

    Dr. King’s dream is still alive and believe everyone in attendance was able to discover how they can enhance progression in the community.  Really wanted them to walk out of my Keynote and seek ways to make a difference.  I left them with three questions to help seal the theme, Progression Not Regression:

    • What can you do?
    • Who can you serve?
    • What’s stopping you?

    The audience response was tremendous during my entire time with them.  I feed off audience energy and participation—they brought their ‘A’ game and I didn’t want to disappoint since I’ve been trying to get on the hometown stage for years.  Extremely happy for the opportunity and proud of the effort to Keynote this amazing event.

    Full disclosure had several aunts, cousins, childhood friends, teachers and my mom in the audience.  Nothing like your mom watching you work a room! 😊  Things happen for a reason and I enjoyed my time with the group.  Feedback has been great so far so hoping I’m going to receive requests to come back and move the crowd again.

    Side note:  our high school librarian (retired) was in attendance.  I made a point to acknowledge her during my Keynote because she allowed me to spend most of my free time in the library with her during my high school years.  I was in there so much she let me check out books to other students like I was an employee.  This is where I gained a love for books and reading which eventually led to me pursuing a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology years later.  Small things lead to big results!  She said all my aggravation was well worth it, now! 😊

    How do you ensure positive energy (progression) in your daily interactions?  What techniques do you use to combat potential negative energy (regression)?

    How will you celebrate Black History month?  Thanks!

    Thanks to the Hamilton County MLK committee for putting me on!

    “Home is where one starts from”.

    (T.S. Eliot)

    MLK 2020

     (MLK 2020 Keynote, Jasper, FL.)

     

     

     

  • Planting seeds in Orlando to grow new trees!

    Planting seeds at UCF

    (Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay)

    “To move forward, you have to give back”.

    (Oprah Winfrey)

    My Walk into the Future provides me with flexibility to work on projects in multiple locations.  I consider myself a running tourist but can also travel and work in different locations with others when needed.

    I’ve worked on projects for the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Immokalee), Intern Pursuit podcasts (Orlando), Salvation Army (Tallahassee), Mastering College to Career podcasts (Orlando), individual clients (Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando and DC), Tallahassee Community College (Tallahassee), MLK event Keynote (Jasper) and the University of Central Florida (Orlando).

    Each project had a different audience and expected outcomes which is exciting to me.  Picking these projects allow me to hone my skills and continue to grow as I extend my reach and grow new tree branches.

    “Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give”.

    (Unknown)

    My project with UCF was especially rewarding because I was invited to train a group of student workers by an active tree branch.  We have worked together for the past 10 years—first at UCF, then at FSU and now again at UCF.  Full disclosure, this tree branch worked directly for me at FSU.

    I conducted team building training for her student workers at FSU and she wanted to bring the same training to UCF as a part of their enhanced student professional development program.  An extra bonus for me conducting the UCF training is my niece, Jayla, is a current student worker in the UCF Career Center and would be a participant.  This was her first time to see me working with students instead of hearing about my work.  Think she came away proud of her uncle! 😊

    These opportunities allow me to give back and help the next generation Walk into the Future.  Love the energy I get when standing in front of motivated college students.  Believe the energy they put out helps me find another gear when presenting material to them.  They inspire me to get better daily.

    This workshop was designed to help the student workers understand the importance of working within the team environment.  We also touched on how they can still be individuals but can’t let this hinder the overall function of the team.  Example, someone who is naturally quiet will still have to speak publicly in a customer service environment.  We explored understanding differences and how to find strengths in others to ensure work is being accomplished in a proper manner.

    We were also able to leverage communication styles and techniques to enhance workplace interactions.  The students were well versed in how their personalities can impact interactions with peers, faculty and staff.  We utilized their knowledge to build team dynamics and translate this information directly to their respective roles in the Career Center.

    Team building is not a formal course of study and takes time to implement.  Believe getting students engaged in understanding team building dynamics early will translate directly to their work and life experiences after college.  It also creates a strong foundation they can utilize while in school—group projects, presentations, fraternity/sorority life, student government, etc.

    We can all sharpen our team building skills—this workshop is my way to keep this important workplace tool growing.  I was able to plant seeds during this presentation and look forward to watching the new trees grow in the future.  Several students have reached out via LinkedIn and I’m actively mentoring them to help reach their respective goals.  One of the students that reached out works for another tree branch in Orlando—small world!

    What are your favorite team building tools?  How does your organization ensure team building is a strong component for growth?  (Respond in the comments section—thanks!)

    Thanks for walking with me!

    “As you grow older, you will discover you have two hands – one for helping yourself and the other for helping others”.

    (Audrey Hepburn)

    UCF Training

  • Leverage individual communication styles to enhance team operations

    top view photo of people near wooden table
    Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

    “In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly”.

    (Mark Sanborn)

    There are no two teams that are exactly alike.  Not the most prophetic thing I’ve ever written in this blog space but worth stating.

    Teams have different dynamics and function based on these things and the people who make up the team.  The most successful teams can leverage the talents of each team member into the overall organizational dynamic to ensure successful outcomes.

    We’ve discussed team communication strategies in previous posts with an angle to strengthen your team.  Individual communication styles and preferences should be reviewed and discussed when you add someone new to your team.  I’m sure everyone strives to hire the best candidate to fill an opening on their team.  How much thought do you put into understanding how to integrate the new team member’s communication style in with others?

    I’m a firm believer that leaders should know direct reports’ communication style and preferred way they want to receive information.  This knowledge allows leaders to seek ways to ensure they communicate in a way to maximize operational needs.  This knowledge has helped me when assigning tasks to team members.

    Example #1:  When faced with a project that has an extremely quick turnaround time, I normally assign this project to my ENFJ (MBTI) staff member.  This type project excites the staff member and I know they will get things done quickly with enough time for review before the deadline.

    Example #2:  When faced with a project due four months from today, I normally assign this project to my ISTJ (MBTI) staff member.  This type project allows the staff member time to plan, strategize and ask all the questions they need to for a successful outcome.

    The examples listed above are two actual scenarios I’ve tackled in the past.  Both had successful outcomes because I knew and understood how to engage staff to maximize their talents.  This in turn produced successful outcomes for the organization.

    Knowledge of individual communication styles also provides a blueprint to help build training plans to help staff members grow.  Introverted staff are not exempt from ever getting a task with a quick turnaround.  The leader needs to provide a more detailed set of instructions and understand they may have to follow-up with the staff member.  This process begins to stretch the staff member and helps their professional growth.  This also provides the leader with another staff member who can handle future quick turnaround projects and not wear out the extroverts.  Also, extroverted staff are not exempt from being assigned long term projects—training applies to all staff members.

    There are multiple ways to engage staff to understand their individual communication style.  MBTI and CliftonStrengths are two tools used in my work environments.  These tools allowed me to get a better understanding of everyone on my team and integrate this knowledge to help teammates understand each other as well.

    What’s the most successful way for me to understand how to communicate with my team?  I sit down with them and ask everyone how they like to receive information.  Simple, huh?  Then I make sure to communicate with everyone in a manner they identify (as much as possible).  Things pop up but I try to remain consistent with the communication process.  Direct reports seem to appreciate this fact and respond in a positive manner.

    A final note, leaders need to ensure their team knows how they like to communicate as well.  The team shouldn’t have to guess how to approach a leader.  This creates undo stress and is not productive.

    How do you account for individual communication styles in the work environment?  Can this knowledge impact your current organization?  (Please respond in the comments section below—thanks!)

    “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something”.

    (Plato)

    blackboard business chalkboard concept
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

  • Strong tree branches keep me moving forward

    two brown trees
    Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

    “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together”.

    (African Proverb)

    My collective tree branches continue to amaze me daily!

    I enjoy watching the great things they are doing in their respective areas of higher education, mentoring, volunteering, speaking, podcasting, recruiting, leadership development and fitness to name a ‘few’ areas these outstanding folks are making a difference.

    The one area that stands out to me today as I write this is the teamwork they constantly display.  My Walk into the Future has led me away from a physical office space—as noted, I primarily work out of coffee shops with Lucky Goat being first choice.  My previous work life allowed me to be surrounded by direct reports and colleagues every day.  There was always someone available to me whenever I had a question, concern or marketing idea I needed to hash out.

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.

    (Henry Ford)

    My current walk provides me unlimited freedoms to decide what I work on and when.  The one limiting factor is I don’t have ‘my’ team right down the hallway to bounce things off.

    A great aspect of having so many tree branches is they are only a text message, email or phone call away when I need help.  Today was a perfect example of how great my tree branches are.  Needed some help generating a Presentation Value Proposition for a conference proposal I was working on.

    I had no trouble describing my proposed presentation, highlighting learning outcomes and generating an overall summary.  Couldn’t generate the Value Proposition for the presentation for some odd reason—just couldn’t make it pop or even sound interesting.

    Reached out to two of my most creative tree branches and described my dilemma.  Provided them with what I needed to do and my attempt to generate the Value Proposition.  They both jumped into teammate mode and sent me back appealing options for the Value Proposition that made the presentation sound exciting.  The point being is even without us being in the same cities, my team still has my back and we make each other better daily.

    The ability to stress the importance of teamwork is something I’m proud to bring to every organization I’ve worked with.  It’s great to see my tree branches continue to embrace team concepts and help others grow.  Well done tree branches—keep up the great things you do daily!  Very proud of your efforts!

    Thanks to my tree branches who return my texts, emails, phone calls and LinkedIn shout outs!  You’re fueling this journey one step at a time—Irie!

    What are the most important team concepts you display daily?  How can you enhance the team experience in your work environment?  Thanks!

    Respect Melissa and V’Rhaniku!

    ER 2016

    (2016 team bowling outing)

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

  • It’s all GOOD – Networking in Orlando

    white laptop
    Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

    “You have to motivate yourself with challenges.  That’s how you know you’re still alive”.

    (Jerry Seinfeld)

    I’m always looking for ways to expand my knowledge base to help me with my Walk into the Future.

    Networking and partnering with individuals and organizations has been fruitful in 2019.  The Greater Orlando Organizational Development (GOOD) network was recommended to me by a tree branch as an organization with consultants/practitioners with similar interests as me.

    The GOOD network has been great so far especially with networking platforms they currently promote.  They have monthly professional development workshops to bring members together to share and learn from others.  This process enabled me to get involved with organizations to see what they do, learn from veterans in the career field and share my knowledge and experiences with them.  Felt good (no pun intended) to share my authentic leadership platform research with practitioners who were looking for ways to engage leaders in their respective organizations with evidence-based research.

    Made several professional contacts with aspirations to leverage into additional research and application of authentic leadership in business environments.  My initial research was done within a university setting but believe we can easily translate the four variables (self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing) into multiple work environments to enhance leadership development and job satisfaction for direct reports.

    Currently working on a proposal to present at the First Annual Organizational Development (OD) Conference, Ignite Your Future:  Innovation in Action in February 2020.  Plan to bring my authentic leadership research to the conference to enhance audience understanding on the leadership platform and how it can be used to provide leaders with tools to enhance their work environment.  Excited for the opportunity to stand in front of movers and shakers of some of the largest organizations in Orlando and show them the value of authentic leadership.

    Excited and scared at the same time but my walk continues to move forward!

    This process may provide me with additional tree branches as I continue my quest to enlarge my tree.  Wish me luck!

    What have you done lately to move from your comfort zone?  How do you challenge yourself to try new things professionally?  I welcome your thoughts—thanks!

    “The key to life is accepting challenges”.

    (Betty Davis)

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    Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

  • Take the meeting—unlimited opportunities are waiting for you

    flat lay photography of macbook pro beside paper
    Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

    “If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade”.

    (Tom Peters)

    My current Walk into the Future allows me to constantly look for opportunities to impact others and make a difference in this world.  My why was identified in June 2018 — to impact people in a positive way to leave them better than when I found them.  To stay consistent with my why I make a point to take meetings from everyone who requests a sit down with me.  Taking meetings is a form of reaching back to help someone else and it helps me continue to build tree branches.

    Received a request via LinkedIn last week from someone I knew from my former role at FSU–we sat in several meetings together but never engaged much after the meetings were done.  Fast forward a year and a mutual friend suggested we get together because we both are making a difference in the world (different focus areas) and he thought it would be good for two like minded people to sit down.  Opportunities are all around us!

    I happily accepted the meeting and let my new tree branch select the date, time and location.  We were able to quickly identify this meeting should have taken place a long time ago.  Sometimes career ambitions AND life get in the way of two people sitting down to talk about life, plans and focus.  Discovered quickly we have similar passions to help others in their walk into the future.  Shared my why with him and several of the projects (blog included) I like to work on and how my why guides my daily interactions.

    I was able to listen with intent during our time together.  What I heard from him was a need to generate/identify a why to create the foundational model for his work.  Leveraged how creating my why gave me a renewed focus and helps drive my efforts.

    The why concept was well received during our time together and resonated with my new tree branch.  It wasn’t rocket science, but I was able to listen to him and help strategize a way to gain the focus needed to take his operation to the next level.

    My takeaways from our meeting:

    • Opportunity to help someone expand their message / focus
    • Opportunity to add another branch to my growing tree
    • Opportunity to share my why and leverage it in real time (application not just a theory)
    • Opportunity for future networking / interactions with a new tree branch
    • Opportunity to watch a branch grow and move towards goals
    • Opportunity for me to learn from someone doing great things in the world
    • Opportunity for me to continue to grow

    So, when presented with an opportunity to take a meeting, go ahead and meet.  You may be able to help someone find exactly what they need for success.  You may also make a new friend which is awesome on its own.  Stay available to opportunities around you, they may provide the compass needed for your Walk into the Future!

    Note:  I have taken 3 additional meetings since I originally wrote this article.  They have all been beneficial and I’ve added more branches to my tree.  Always looking for continued growth.

    How open are you to accepting a meeting request from someone?  What benefits would taking this meeting have on your growth?  Curious, thanks!

    “Keep your mind open to opportunities. They are closer than you think”.

    (PictureQuotes.com)

    woman wearing teal dress sitting on chair talking to man
    Photo by Jopwell on Pexels.com

  • Planting trees–Who gave you a chance?

    ‘I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.’

    (Oprah Winfrey)

    I continue to express the benefits of building effective partnerships and how networking can enhance this process.

    My current Walk into the Future provides multiple opportunities for partnering and networking to continue to make a difference in the world.  Current relationships (mentors, tree branches, etc.) can be instrumental for the development of new opportunities.

    I was virtually introduced to Isabella Johnston from Intern Pursuit through a mutual friend.  We connected via LinkedIn and then followed up with a phone call to learn more about how we could partner (if possible) in the future.  Happy to say Isabella’s role with Intern Pursuit and other projects she has in the Central Florida area are making a difference daily.  Enjoyed learning about the exciting things she is working on and will roll out later this year.

    We discussed the possibility of me coming down to participate as a guest speaker for her Intern Whisperer Podcast.  Participating on the podcast seemed like a perfect partnership so I was happy to accept the offer to continue to work with Isabella and her staff.

    What a great experience to meet Isabella, her staff and recording the podcast!  Very engaging format with questions designed to allow me to provide professional and leadership advice to listeners of the podcast.  Had a blast with the entire process and looking forward to continuing this newly formed partnership.

    An interesting aspect to my trip down to Orlando was I had lunch with a ‘tree branch’ prior to recording the podcast.  I had breakfast the next morning with another ‘tree branch’—tried to get a lot accomplished in minimal time.  The interesting part of my connecting with my Orlando tree branches is they both know (know of) Isabella and her work and she is familiar with their work.  They are all master networkers, so I’m not surprised these folks all know each other—looks like I was the last one to the party! 😊

    Who gave you a chance?

    One question that was presented to me during the podcast was ‘Who gave you a chance’?

    You can hear my full answer by listening to the podcast.  I’ve had a lot of great people mentor me over the years but my answer to this question is Ann Loyd.  Ann allowed me to transition from the Air Force into a role within the Macon State College Career Center.  Nothing in my professional background directly translated to career services but Ann took the chance my dedication and passion to help others would translate.  Happy to say it did—I’m still making a difference because Ann saw something in me and helped me shape my world view on helping students succeed.  My Walk into the Future started with the chance she gave me.

     ‘It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of individuals to contribute.’

    (William Pollard)

    So, I pose the same question to you–Who gave you a chance?  Who will you give a chance to?  Interested in your thoughts—thanks!

    Intern Pursuit May 2019

     

     

  • Making a Difference (Daily)

    Make a Difference May 2019

    I start each day with the purpose of making a difference.  Changing the entire world continues to prove to be beyond my ‘super powers’ so I focus on the small victories in life.

    The picture above hangs next to my front door, so I must pass it on my way out into the world.  It is a simple reminder to ensure my focus remains on the small victories in life that can make a difference to someone.

    My psychology educational background was selected because of a desire to understand others better.  My thought process has always been to understand what makes people do or think what they do.  Psychology provided me with the foundation to understand the importance of helping others.  Please note, helping someone can be as simple as asking them how their day is going.  Doesn’t have to get super deep to impact someone you cross paths with regularly.

    I’ve written about the benefits of volunteering in the local community.  This small step can be a huge difference maker for your local community and especially someone who benefits from the organization you volunteer with.  Volunteer multiple times with an organization and you will begin to put smiles on the faces of people within the organization.

    Mentoring others has always been a huge part of my daily routine.  My current Walk into the Future allows me additional time to reach out to my tree branches and put focus on topics they want to explore.  We always did this but now my availability enhances how often we get to check in.  I enjoy catching up with my tree branches and hearing the great things ‘they’ are doing in the world.  Following their progress and seeing how they make a difference is a highlight for me.

    I’m able to expand my reach beyond my current tree branches because of my availability.  Students and organizations I was not engaged with prior are reaching out for me to help them move forward.  Some of the students knew me at FSU in passing or had a friend work with me and recommended they reach out.   I find this ‘underground referral’ process a bit flattering and it shows I’ve made enough of a difference for someone to put their friend in touch with me.  I never turn down these requests—the students have shown a tremendous amount of ambition by reaching out and requesting assistance.  Selfishly, I view this whole process as growing my tree—these new branches know they must help someone else move forward.

    Working with organizations is an area I would like to expand in 2019.  I currently do some professional development/leadership consulting with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  We have several workshops planned and looking to add more to help them grow as a group.  Coordinating with a few local groups to highlight the Authentic Leadership principles for them to incorporate within their leadership development programs.  This process would expand my reach and provide a larger group to ensure I’m making a difference.

    So, until I gain additional ‘super powers’, making a difference daily is how I plan to conquer the world! 😊

    What can you do to make a difference today?  Who would benefit from hearing from you?  Don’t make them wait—reach out and make a difference!

    Make a Difference 2 May 2019

  • Always reach back and help others: Networking grows tree branches

    ‘You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’

    (Zig Ziglar)

    A lot of times we discuss networking in terms of attending an event and meeting people face to face.  That is a version of networking and requires skills to be able to introduce yourself and discuss mutual interest items.  Students use networking events (opportunities) to make their elevator speeches for potential career options.  More experienced folks may attend networking events to secure future business, opportunities or leverage to make career changes.  There is an art to networking within this type environment and successful outcomes are available to all.

    The quote above was intriguing to me as it covers networking from a more basic level.  Networking is available to us all but how many go out of their way to ensure we are helping others?

    I pose this question because I view my current Walk into the Future as my ultimate way to get what I want out of life because I am willing to help others.  The Walk into the Future blog is designed to capture my thoughts, feelings and adventures—sometimes all done within the same article.  Topics are also designed to help others—they are based on real world interactions (good and bad) with intent to provide talking points to help readers process my words and put them into play as needed.

    An interesting aspect of my current Walk into the Future is I have availability to speak with others (students, potential clients, consultants, etc.) to help them move forward in life.  Most of these people reach out to me based on a recommendation which is another form of networking.  Meetings are scheduled based on their current schedule to make sure we have enough time to discuss their needs.  This form of networking is exciting for me as it helps me generate additional ‘tree branches’ and keeps me energized because I’m making a difference.  Networking does not have to be a stuffy process and opportunities are available to us all.

    Always remember someone helped us all get where we are today.  How available are you when someone reaches out?  How can you enhance a networking opportunity to ensure your ‘tree branches’ continue to grow?

    I came back to networking as a topic because I believe it opens doors and provides a framework to make a difference.  I got agitated (for 2 minutes only) when I reached out to someone for information on a specific organization this person worked for previously.  Thought this was a simple request but they automatically referred me to someone else.  I never got the two questions I had answered because the person I reached out to wouldn’t help me get what I wanted/needed. Don’t be this person, help people as much as possible and watch how the positive vibes will come back to you MULTIPLIED!

    Networking April 2019

    How engaging are you when someone reaches out?  What opportunities are available for you to help someone else move forward?

  • Networking

    “Opportunities? They are all around us. There is power lying latent everywhere waiting for the observant eye to discover it.” – (Orison Swett Marden)

    Networking

    Who’s in your network?  No, really, what connections do you have to facilitate continued personal and professional growth?

    Most people hear the term ‘Networking’ and immediately think of a stuffy, formal business event.  My view of networking allows you almost unlimited possibilities if you open your eyes and ears to the people and possibilities around you.  Networking opportunities are available in multiple forms, we must be open and ready for them.

    Networking can provide a springboard to enhance goals, make contacts and potential employment.  People you meet provide a chance for you to network and share your story.  They may not be the direct person to change your world but can help introduce you to a friend, colleague or family member who may be able to help you Walk into the Future.

    Networking 4

    One of my mentor’s always says, “You’re networking even when you don’t know it”.  Strive to make a good impression on everyone you meet since this can be a critical component on how much or if they are willing to help.

    Make a list of professional contacts, professors, mentors and friends who may be able to help with your networking goals.  Ask them out for coffee or lunch to discuss your situation and seek their guidance.  Networking in this way allows you to maximize your visibility and viability to others.

    Networking can be done face to face or via technology.  The time you spend in the gym, at a coffee shop, or a formal networking event is a prime time for you to branch out and communicate with others.  My preferred on-line networking method is to utilize LinkedIn.  This platform allows you to ‘target’ search based on your desired outcomes.  You can search for contacts by name, by organization and by location.  There are other filters available, so find the best filter combination for your needs.

    When working with students towards their employment goals, I always show them how to search for LinkedIn contacts at their preferred organization (Examples:  Google, General Motors, Proctor and Gamble).  We discuss the best way to introduce themselves to contacts and how to ask for the order (what do they want).    Creating an introduction script makes this portion easier (who are you, what are your credentials and what you want to discuss with the contact).  Remember, networking is more than what you can get from someone; convey how this interaction can benefit you both.

    Local Rotary Clubs, Chamber of Commerce and other professional organizations provide avenues to network face to face.  Leverage the ability to meet and speak with locals in these networking rich environments.

    Don’t forget to ‘listen’ to what others have to say.  Networking is not just you talking; allow other attendees to provide you with additional content to keep the conversations moving.  Again, an introduction script may enhance your ability to weave into and out of conversations.  Request business cards or other contact information to follow-up (thank you, informational interviews, mentoring) with individuals who may be able to enhance your current situation.  Remember to be respectful of others time but always look to ask for what you need from people in a networking environment.

    Practice makes perfect and the process of networking becomes easier the more you get out there–make it happen.

    What other networking techniques have you used?  How can networking help you advance in your field?

    Networking 3