EFFECTVE NETWORKING Or... How not to feel like the odd man out. J - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

EFFECTVE NETWORKING Or... How not to feel like the odd man out. J Michel Metz, Ph.D

CAN YOU? YES, M-A-M!™ • Preparation • Expectation • Stages • Do’s/Don’ts • What’s Next?

М -A-M™ • Message • Message • Audience • Medium Identity & Personal Branding

М -A-M™ • Message • Audience • Audience • Medium Understanding the People and Attitudes

М -A-M™ • Message • Audience • Medium • Medium The Networking Event

MESSAGE If they didn’t hear it, you didn’t say it - Marshall McLuhan • Most difficult part • Your Identity • Unique • Consistent

MESSAGE Your Brand • Unique • Instantly recognizable • Value-driven and authentic - to others • Not just about being “good” • Reversible

AUDIENCE • How will my message/brand make sense to the audience? • Why will they believe my message/brand? • How will the audience feel about my message? • What will my message/brand mean to my audience?

MEDIUM - NETWORKING Not job hunting...

MEDIUM - NETWORKING But job farming...

NETWORKING • It’s about cultivating relationships • It’s only one medium out of many • It’s not just about you, not just about them; it’s about the connection

PROCESS Networking Teamwork Introductions Referrals • It’s not an event, it’s a process • First step of many • Repetition of exposure and introductions • Requires investment of time into other people • You need to educate them about you and your skillsets • You need to be educated about their skillsets

NETWORKING STAGES • 1) Ме , Ме , Ме • 2) Oooops! • You, You, You (but really Me, Me, Me) • 3) Connection

1) ALL ABOUT ME! • New message, want to try it out • On a mission • Nervous energy

2) OOPS! ALL ABOUT YOU

3) TEAMWORK • Create relationships • Working groups/teams • Create circles of close contacts • Think longitudinally (e.g., over time)

EXPECTATIONS

EXPECTATIONS • You are not going to find : • a job • an interview • a lot of people who understand what you do • clients

PREPARATION

PREPARATION • Bring: • Business Cards • Friendly attitude • Curiosity • Sincerity

OPENING CONVERSATIONS • Be prepared to listen and learn • Practice being clear and concise • Go beyond the title and position to get to know the people

PRACTICE • Find wallflowers • Identify interesting things about people and ask them about them • Pay attention to your own behavior • Do you take over a conversation? • Do you pay attention to what they’re saying? • Are you busy looking around the room looking for the next person to talk to? • Are you giving unsolicited advice ? • Do you interrupt ?

TO LINKEDIN OR NOT LINKEDIN • Personal choice • What is your LinkedIn strategy? • Beware of “collecting people” • Beware of “being collected” • 1 on 1’s

SUMMARY • Work on your Message & Brand • Understand your Audience • Cultivate relationships, not hunt them down • Practice active listening • Work on identifying mutually benefitial relationships

MORE INFORMATION • For more information on M-A-M™: • http://www.jmetz.com • (Click on “blog”)