"Chatting to build your network"

Good morning!

Hey, I thought I would offer an article on “Chatting” as I often receive messages on social media that look something like this.

Sam:       “Hi”

Randy:    “Hi Sam, how are you”

Sam:        “Fine”

Randy:    “Great to have you connect with me Sam”

Sam         “Thanks”

Honestly, folks, it is great to have new connections on social media, however, if you are looking to have a meaningful and professional connection with people can I suggest a bit more engagement.

Here’s an example

Sam:        “Hi Randy, I read your article on supervision and I have a few questions if that’s ok?”

A person’s name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person. It is one way we can easily get someone’s attention. It is a sign of courtesy and a way of recognizing them and creates a bond.

Randy:  “Hi Sam, hope you are well, Thanks for reading my article, how can I help”

In today's social media arena, precedence has been established. That precedence is people you reach out too will be defensive. This defensiveness is large because of the “Can you get me a job” question. It’s ok to ask for a job opportunity but try and establish a basic relationship first.

Sam:     “I’m doing ok, thank you for asking. I was wondering, in your article you wrote that you had to fire a man in his 60’s, that must have been really hard to do. I want to grow my supervisory skills is there any advice you can give me?”

In this paragraph, you are establishing who you are with your connection. Firstly, you demonstrate politeness and secondly, you truly proved you read their article. On top of that, you are now asking for something they are more likely willing to give, advice.

Your interpersonal skills are just as important if not more than your technical skills. Interpersonal skills need development and they can be just like any other skill, even if you are somewhat introverted.

?

The key thing to remember in establishing a real network of people are:

Diversify your self:

Force yourself to go beyond the people whom you think can get you that job. Strengthen your immediate circle by going outside those you know well. You're more than your job, so reach out there and talk to contacts whom you might have something in common with. But don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone and nurture real relationships with those in completely unrelated roles.

Give:

Effective relationships in any situation require reciprocity - not a one-way half-hearted effort. Offer and deliver help, connect people with each other, offer to share industry and other information freely.

Only then will you feel satisfied and find others willing to respond when you need help. 

Give a little time:

In today's world of Social media, it’s easier than ever to give time, and you don’t need to give a lot. A few minutes every day to stay connected with people can make a world of difference. Sure, it’s ok to hit the “Like” button, but it means so much more when you take the time to write a response to someone’s posts.

Know your connections:

Pay attention to bonds, loyalties, and networks that characterize your network. Recognize the norms, values, and preferences that shape the behavior of the people you need.

This will help you form a durable and effective network that you can maximize your interests and strengthen your relationship with them.

Define yourself:

In today's fancy lingo they are calling it “Branding” but it is just a fancy way of saying who you are. The most important thing to remember in “branding” yourself is, to be honest, be real but be careful because that word “Branding” is just how it sounds, it’s your reputation being burned into you and people will see it!

Network vs Audience:

Nowadays, there is a push to “grow your network”. But if you listen to truly successful networkers they will tell you this: “Prune, renew and reshape your network frequently. The difference in true networking in a connection with like-minded people on various subjects and interacting with them. However, if you are more interested in having people just listen to you, then an audience of large numbers is appropriate. But here’s the thing, growing a large audience isn’t a bad thing because out of that audience you will have people reach out and try and connect with you. Treasure this and develop those people. They have seen something in you they like and that my friends are priceless.

There are so many articles and publications out there that help you in learning how to develop real networks of people, a few I have found to be awesome are:

Books on this are:

Well Connected – Gordon S. Curtis

Give and Take – Adam Grant

The art of People – Dave Kerpen

Ego is the Enemy – Ryan Holiday

Born to Build – Jim Clifton and Sangeeta Badal

How to win friends and influence people – Dale Carnegie

Also, listen to lectures given by:

 Jim Rohn,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TarOjPbJD1Q

Brian Tracey

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc11676iKpKrJMYqNYHqNig

Denis Waitley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1wo8uaKNN0

Have a fantastic day all!