A Simple Strategy to Build a Fail-Proof System
Mike Marcellus
The Strategic Networker ??| CEO & Founder of Tipclub ?? | A Category Creator | Connected 100K Professionals | I help people build strategic networks and simple systems
Why complicate things? Use a simple 3-step formula to create the perfect system that works every time with strategic networking.
A few years ago, as the world was emerging from the Covid pandemic, I was struggling with networking.
Networking became very complex and I was floundering.
My mind was bombarded with questions regarding this new world we were living in …
Was it ok to attend in-person networking events or not?
Was my time best spent networking with face-to-face meetings, on Zoom, or through social media?
What do I do with all these new networking services, tools, and apps that were springing up everywhere?
There were so many options and services to choose from.
So, I tried them all.
Strike One
I tried to do everything, meet everyone, and be everywhere.
I was busier than ever and my schedule was non-stop with networking activities.
But, I wasn’t making valuable connections nor engaging with my target audience.
My networking efforts floundered.
Soon, I realized the problem …
I didn’t have a system.
And the big, bad wolf came along and blew my straw house networking efforts down.
It was the last straw.
Strike Two
The second time around, I designed a system.
The system I designed had me consistently reaching out to new connections, post daily on LinkedIn and Twitter, and going to 2 - 3 networking events per week.
But I couldn’t sustain the pace of the system and soon gave up.
Once again, the big, bad wolf came along and blew my stick house system down.
The problem?
领英推荐
It didn’t stick.
Third Times a Charm
I knew I was close.
This time, I designed a system that I believed was sustainable.
I started with small activities and focused on consistency.
Being consistent turned into routines.
And my new routines strengthened my system.
I tested the system vigorously:
I closely and continuously reviewed my results.
I made adjustments.
It worked. The Design, Test, and Stick-to-it strategy is my house built of brick.
The D+T+S Model
The system I designed was simple and practical:
A lot of us design or pick our system (that’s the fun part)
Only a few of us actually test the system or make adjustments (that takes work)
And virtually no one sticks to the system (think New Year’s resolutions)
A good system works.
It’s the people that fail.
I hope you enjoyed my storytelling for this week - my version of the Three Little Pigs.
- Mike