Downloaded 41 times
Uploaded byDayo Olomu
Leveraging Your Networking by Dayo Olomu
Leveraging Your Networking for Career & Business Success is a document about the importance of networking for professional and career advancement. It defines networking, discusses why people network and the benefits of networking, and provides a framework for how to effectively network including preparing for networking events, starting conversations, following up after events, and leveraging your network.
More Related Content
Similar to Leveraging Your Networking by Dayo Olomu
Leveraging Your Networking by Dayo Olomu
- 1. Leveraging Your Networking…….. for Career & Business Success Dayo Olomu, Chair, CIPD Lambeth Group, South London Branch HR Ambitions….Moving Up @ Jury’s Inn Croydon Saturday 26th November 2011
- 2. What is Networking?Networking is building and maintaining productive personal, business and professional relationship that benefits both parties It is a long-term strategy based on trust, sincerity and reciprocity of relationship – (Williams, 2000) Experts say networking is about exchange and building relationships
- 3. What Do YouWant From Networking? To find employment To achieve goals To find opportunity for growth To build business contacts and associates To expand your network To increase market share and customers To find new ideas To find new colleagues/friends To pursue a hobby or interest To gain new perspective on topics of interest to you To go into business for yourself
- 4. Is Networking WorthThe Investment? The phenomenon of business networking has been studied for the last 25 years, but recently, there has been a renewed interest. There are sound, peer-reviewed studies from US, Germany and China that have positively linked networking to: Salary Growth (Wolff H.G, et al, 2009) Increase promotions (Michael J and Yulk G.H, 1993) Perceived career success (Langford P.H., 2009) Job satisfaction (Wolff H.G. and Moser K, 2009) Production of creative ideas (Zhou J. et al, 2009 ( Byham, W.C , 2010) One of the four key essential leadership skills is relationship building/network building – Developing Business Leaders for 2010, in The Conference Board
- 5. Result of MyNetworking Started a Music & Movie magazine - 2003 Motivational Speaker - 2004 Founding President of Croydon Communicators Toastmaster Club – 2005 TV Presenter - 2007 My audio CD “You Got The Power” was sent to more than countries – 2008 Spoke at Westminster Hall - 2009 School Governor - 2011 Chair, CIPD Lambeth Group - 2011
- 6. Networking Framework Stage1 You Stage 2 Networking Stage 3 Contact Stage 4 Leveraging
- 7. You! You!! You!!!Effective networking demands that you know what you want and how to effectively communicate it when networking In order for you to get where you wish to go in your career or business, you need to know where you are going in the first place If you don’t know where you are going how will you know when you get there?
- 8. Which Kind ofPeople Would You Like to Attract to Your Network? For yourself your career or your Business Your Bank Manager Your Supplier PR & Marketing Headhunter Solicitor Trusted Employee Valued Client Accountant Mentor/Coach Manager Your Line Manager or CEO Investors
- 9. How Can YouExpand Your Networking & Contact? Join a career related organisation Become a board member of an active association Volunteering Join a public speaking club Join your old student association or Alumni Join social media – E.g. Linkedin or Ecademy Go to a Networking Event
- 10. Questions Time Doyou make opportunities to meet new people? Do you regularly attend meetings at work or socially? Do you introduce yourself to speakers at training courses, conferences or dinners? Have your contacts grown in number over the last few years? Do you talk to peers in other organisations? If you needed urgent help with your career or business, do you know people who would be prepared to help?
- 11.
- 12. Networking Essential SkillsPublic Speaking/Self Promotion Research Listening Nurturing Building rapport Persistence Organisational Ability to follow up
- 13. What Is AnElevator Pitch? An Elevator Pitch is a concise, carefully planned and well-practiced description about you and your benefits It is the basic introduction of who you are, what you do and what you are looking for when networking It is something you should practice and perfect
- 14. Creating Your ElevatorPitch A “Hook” – Grab attention Keep It Short & Simple (KISS approach) What Is In It For Me? (WIIFM) What do you want them to do for you? Not more than 90 seconds
- 15. Where Networking CanTake Place Social Gathering Product Launch Award Ceremony Religious Gathering AGMs/Conferences Networking Event
- 16. How Can YouPrepare For a Networking Event? Venue Time Cost (if any) Attendance Dress code (if any) Will you be expected to introduce yourself to the whole group? If yes, for how many minutes?
- 17. Networking - ReadyTo Go Practice your elevator pitch Dress for success - make sure you present a good visual image Take a supply of your business cards in your wallet/case Put on a smile and go to the event Arrive Early
- 18. At the NetworkingEvent Use all your networking skills Use your ‘elevator pitch’ Meet new people Build trust by listening Arm yourself with common ground for conversation Be there Leave them feeling better Collect business cards and keep them safely Have fun
- 19. Starting a ConversationAt Networking Event F – From/Family: Where are you from? O – Occupation: What do you do for a living or what is your profession, what do you enjoy most about your profession or how did you get started? Or What is the best thing about your job? R – Recreation: What do you do for fun or recreation? M – Motivation: What motivates you to do what you do or which one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business? - Power, M.P, 2009
- 20. After the NetworkingEvent Evaluate the event. Was it successful? Should you have done things differently File the business cards information you have collected In golf as in networking it is the follow-through that count – Nigel Risner
- 21. Networking to Contact Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, working together is SUCCESS – Henry Ford Communicate regularly – once a month or week Nurture and build relationship with contact
- 22. What is Leverage?Leverage is the ability to use other people’s money, expertise, technology, time, ideas or network to achieve more, with less effort. Leverage =Speed=Goals – ( Hansen & Allen,2002) What really distinguishes high performers from the rest of the pack is their ability to maintain and leverage personal networks . – “The Social Side of Performance”, MIT Sloan Management Review
- 23. Leveraging Your NetworkingLeverage Other People (colleague, headhunter, business partner, mastermind group, joint venture or a mentor) Leverage Other People’s Contact (their friends & network) Leverage Other People’s Systems Leverage Other People’s Knowledge, Skills & Time Leverage Other People’s Platform (e.g TV, Radio etc) Leverage Other People’s Money (borrowing or tapping into their financial resources, VC & BA) Leverage Other People’s Customers (e.g. a customer database, Mailing List)
- 24. Leveraging Social & New Media
- 25.
- 26. Honey & BeeApproach My belief is that “knowing” someone has less value than “knowing” you. It is what you are known for that counts – (Cope, 2010) Positioning – yourself as an expert in your field Be Google- able & Be Web-Famous – (Priestly, 2011) Become an author Attend high profile events and connect Appear on TV or radio to speak on career related topics Write articles for specialised journals
- 27. The Myth AboutKnowledge Is Power How many people believe that knowledge is POWER? Knowledge is not POWER Apply knowledge is POWER ACTION is POWER Regular Activity is true power Regular Activity is constant and consistent action until the outcome has been surpassed
- 28. You Got ThePower! You are a marvel You are unique YOU ARE ENDOWED WITH THE SEEDS OF GREATNESS – (Olomu, 2005)
- 29. Contact Details Email: dayo@dayoolomu.com Website : www.dayoolomu.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/dayo.olomu Twitter: www.twitter.com/dayoolomu Blog: http://dayoolomu.blogspot.com Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/dayoolomu LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/dayoolomu
- 30. References/Further Readings Barrett,A and Beeson J (2002) Developing Business Leaders for 2010 , a report from The Conference Board Byham, W.C (2010) Business Networking Can Be Taught , Training & Development, May Cope, M (2003) Personal Networking: How to Make Your Connections Count , Prentice Hall Cross, R, et al (2003) The Social Side of Performance , MIT Sloan Management Review, Oct 15 Hansen, M.V & Allen, R.G, (2002) The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth , Three River Press, New York Olomu, D, (2005) 4 Indispensable Strategies for Success , London Power, M.P (2009), How To Become An Irresistible Networker, London Priestly, D (2010) Become A Key Person of Influence, Ecademy Press, London Risner, N (2009) You Had Me at Hello: The New Rules for Better Networking London Williams, T (2000) Networking As A Way of Gaining Business for Training Consultants , Industrial and Commercial Volume 32, No 5, pp 169-172
Editor's Notes
- #5 Ask delegates - What is Networking? Networking is building and maintaining productive business and professional relationship that benefits both parties Networking is the exchange of information or services within a network or chains of interconnected people – Career Networking Brian Sutton a report from The Conference Board, Developing Business Leaders for 2010, states that one of the 4 key essential leadership skills is relationship building/network building Natural Networking is about being yourself and using the essence of who you are and your personal capital to build long term successful and sustainable relationship with one another – Cope Networking is a major skill that can benefit both our working and personal life Networking and building mutual relationship is key, contact will save you lots of money and time = knowledge, skills money and experience
- #7 What exactly do you want & Why do you want it? – Career or Business? What kind of people will help you to get want you want in a faster way? Where do they hang out? Where can you get them? How do you communicate what you want to them it such a way that they will not forget you and will either want to do business with you or refer you to somebody? How & where can you Network with them? How you Can you leverage the networking? Who do you follow up on them? STAGE START THE NETWORKING ADVENTURE Whilst family, friends and other easily identifiable contacts are a good place to start your networking efforts, sooner or later you will need to extend yourself beyond your familiar surroundings and look to attend relevant meetings and/or events. In many ways, the type of meeting or event that you choose is not particularly important. If your hobby is old model trains, and someone advertises an 'old model train meeting and exhibition' you are obviously likely to meet lots of people who might become good network contacts. However, this is likely to be the exception rather than the rule. In most cases, meetings or social gatherings of people will be much more general affairs and ones that can only be broadly ‘qualified’ for their START THE NETWORKING ADVENTURE The trick in networking (if there is one) is to treat all meetings or events as an adventure. Like any adventure, you may have some fear and trepidation about facing the unexpected. But you should also feel some of the thrill of the challenge and excitement in finding new people with whom you can really connect. By making time in your schedule to attend, you can use your early opportunities to watch others networking and to get into the habit of talking to the people you meet. Don’t forget, networking successfully means that we sometimes have to stretch ourselves to the edges of our comfort zones – hard at first but much easier with practice.
- #12 ACTION CURES FEAR – FEAL THE FEAR & DO IT ANYWAY To conquer the fear of public speaking I joined Toastmasters International It was the summer of 2003 when I walked into a pub in Croydon. It was the meeting of the Toastmasters Club. When I saw the way people spoke so eloquently I asked myself, when will I be able to do this? It took me three months before I could make my first speak. But I did it at last and I am still doing it. Today I am not only an advanced toastmaster but I am also a competent leader and the charter president of a toastmasters’ club. I spend my birthday of 2006 with Tony Robbins attending his Unleash the Power. Firewalking is the act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones. The Firewalk is the dramatic highlight of Unleash the Power Within, the introductory three-day seminar given by personal development guru Tony Robbins. Designed to be both a challenge to the participants and a symbol of the change they can make to their lives, it also serves as a very effective marketing tool for Robbins’ pricey products and seminars. This is where sane humans prance across several yards of smoking-hot, burning coals while their fellow higher achievers and some tribal drummers chant on. And most don’t burn their feet. Including me. During a fire-walking event, you almost always see a large, glowing bed of burning coals. The bed may be 10 feet long or so. And the glowing coals are real. People actually do walk across the red-hot coals in bare feet. Bar bending: Sat 22 nd July 2006 Tosin Ogunnusi & I did bar bending. We stood six feet apart, rested each end of a six foot long Iron bar in the soft spot located in the front of our throats, just under our Adams's apple. We looked into each other’s eye and concentrated on both our current power, as well as having drawn up former powerful images of ourselves by the instructor. We each uttered the word, Yes, Yes, Yes, I am ready and then on the count three, we began to walk towards each other and UNBELIEVABLE, yes, right in front of our eyes and throats, that 6 foot long once staff iron bar bend into a U shape between us, the belly of the U-ed iron bar touching the ground. What a glorious and exciting illustration that our mind have incredible power, if only we can channel it. My Skydiving Experience Date: 25th August 2011. Place: Chatteris Airfield, UK. Time: 5pm. I arrived at the Chatteris Airfield, which is located near the town of March in Cambridgeshire d around 5pm with the view to go and check into the hotel, rest and prepare for my skydiving the following morning. On a second thought I decided to approach the lady at the reception whether it would be possible for me to have my jump that evening. Ten minutes later she back to me that it was possible. She asked my twice, are you ready? Are you sure that you want to jump today and not tomorrow. I said replied that, I am ready, prepared, wired up and fired up. She said that sound interesting. Fifteen minutes later, I was taken to the training room and was introduced to my instructor who gave me a safety and technique briefing on absolutely all aspects of the skydiving, including: how to leave the aircraft, how to position myself in free-fall, how to steer the parachute to my landing point. After the training I was provided with skydiving clothes and equipment which I wore over my clothing. After, I was kitted up, I was told to go and wait outside to await further instructions of when to jump. When I was leaving in the afternoon my wife said that call me when you finished and not before. When I called her at 6.50 and said to her that I am finished she said, can you drop the phone and I will call you back. For about 5 minutes I was expecting her call and when she eventually called she asked, what did you just said. I have jumped, OMG. Ten minutes later my name was announced. Then its time to jump! Off we go. I walked straight to my plane in company of my instructor and about twelve other jumpers. Because mine was been filmed, I was told that I will be the first person to jump out of the plane. It was scary but fun. Your tandem skydiving harness will then be fitted and you will then make your way to the plane which will take approx 25 minutes to get to your jump destination. The aircraft took about 25-minute to climb to an altitude of between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. My instructor was with me every step of the way up, as well as the way down. On entering the plane I was safely strapped to a British Parachute Association tandem instructor. After experience 12,000 feet of pure adrenaline on this exhilarating Tandem Skydiving Experience strapped to a qualified instructor. The aircraft took about 25-minute to climb to an altitude of between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. I experienced a 25 minute plane ride to reach the altitude and then its time to jump! After the person filming me jump out of the plane, my instructor said, Dayo it is time to jump. To be honest I was a little bit nervous but I have no choice but to jump at 10,000 feet in the air, make a leap into a 5000 feet free-fall. I then zoomed down to earth at scorching 120mph. Then, after that initial buzz, the parachute was opened and I relaxed, enjoying the bird's eye view, as I float back to earth. It was definitely something I will never forget. I was given reassurance before I took the plunge. When I was leaving in the afternoon my wife said that call me when you finished and not before. When I called her at 6.50 and said to her that I am finished she said, can you drop the phone and I will call you back. For about 5 minutes I was expecting her call and when she eventually called she asked, what did you just said. I have jumped, she said OMG. I said to goddess, I am on my way home. I love you. S skydiving is without doubt one of the most thrilling activities you can ever take part in. It is Breath-taking. I have never experienced anything like it. It was literally the most the most exhilarating experience of my life.