THE URBAN PROFESSIONAL

How do you see yourself?

When you hear the term, “Urban Professional” what picture comes to mind? Do you see a corporate professional in a pin-striped suit, power tie and shined shoes? Or do you see a yellow hard hat, tool belt and timberlands? Maybe you see an entrepreneur launching a new product or a small business owner promoting their location and services. Could be you see a teacher in an inner-city school writing on the blackboard or perhaps you see a social worker counseling a client in their home? You may also see a secretary multi-tasking with a phone in one hand and their other hand on a computer keyboard or maybe a postal worker making their rounds. These are all people’s perceptions of what an “Urban Professional” is. 

The question is do you see yourself as an Urban Professional? If so, how do you maximize your brand and identify in the business marketplace?

In this article, we are going to share with you some powerful insights into establishing yourself as an Urban Professional and how to build your social capital. We will look at the definitions, history, and role of the Urban Professional. We will examine how the Urban Professional cultivates social capital and builds a network of not only customers and clients but of supportive allies.

We performed a survey of about 100 African American professionals regarding how they would define an “Urban Professional.” In most cases, they defined Urban professional as a term to describe a person of African American descent who has achieved a high degree of excellence and expertise in a given field.  

Some of the people we polled included educational achievement, but most defined an Urban professional as a serious, seasoned, dedicated and competent individual who takes pride in the quality of their service or product.

URBAN PROFESSIONAL REPRESENT DIVERSITY

For our purposes, we will define an urban professional as someone who strive to be at the top of the game. They can be of any race, creed or color. I know of many Latinos as well as Asian urban professionals. What urban professionals have in common is their natural habitat is the city. They live, grow and breathe in the metropolitan environment.

Urban professionals take the survival techniques they have learned in an urban environment to Wall Street and to Main Street. Urban Professional have a need to achieve and they believe in quality and the pursuit of excellence.

An Urban professional is someone who never stops learning, who never stops challenging themselves. They are someone who constantly applies what he or she has learned in life to continue improving on their own life experiences.

  CHARACTERISTICS OF AN URBAN PROFESSIONAL

ü Persistent

ü Dedicated

ü Well dressed

ü Articulate

ü Organized

ü Groomed

ü Outgoing

ü Reserved

ü Connected

ü Compassionate

ü Multi-tasker

ü Intelligent

ü Well-rounded

(HOW MANY DID YOU CHECK OFF?)

An urban professional may also be described as someone who is socially mobile and able to invest in and create social capital. Urban professionals who have elevated their game, can acquire and control social capital. 

Social Capital

“Social advancement is the result of individual advancement.”

Samuel Smiles, Author, Self-help series, “Character, Self Help and Thrift”

Social capital is resources one achieves based on group membership, relationship, networks of influence and support from other people.   As in any type of resource, social capital is invested in and cultivated over time. Social capital is maximized by through urban networking. 

“Urban Networking is the aggressive establishment of mutually beneficial relationships focusing on ideals, products and services both physical and fiscal.”

Michael Rice, Urban Networking, Handbook for the Urban Professional.

By focusing on building beneficial relationships, the Urban professional is not only able to expand their area of influence but insinuate themselves from threats by having a protective shield of people and organizations around them.

 The Village concept raises and protects the children with a community. The idea that it takes a village to raise a child, goes to the premise that by creating a network/community that is concerned with and focused on the individuals within, we can cultivate productive and success for all. 

You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of your environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success-or are they holding you back?”

                                               W. Clement Stone

Co-author, “Success Through Positive Mental Attitude”

Cultivating social capital means recruiting allies and advocates.  It means being able to transform an acquaintance into an ally. 

In the book, “Make Your Contacts Count”, Anne Barbar and Lynne Waymon refers to a six-stage model that refers to the growth in networking relationships. She includes something called an Actor and Accidents. For the purpose of Urban Networking we utilize four levels of relationships.

When we define levels of relationships in Urban Networking, we use the four As Rule

Level 1 – Acquaintance

Level 2 – Associate

Level 3 – Advocate

Level 4 – Ally

Acquaintances – The first level of Urban Networking relationships are Acquaintances. These are individuals you know causally, you may or may not know their names. You acknowledge them at meetings or events, but you do not have their email or phone numbers. Acquaintances are individuals on the same schedule as you. You see them at the bus stop, the coffee shop, in the elevator, at lunch or at the super market. Acquaintances know nothing about your personal life. Job or business.

Associates – The second level is Associates. These are individuals who you may consider to be friends. They work with you, live next to you and spend time with you. They know your full name and a little about you. You might invite them to your birthday party and to have a drink after work. You may confide in them and share personal stories.

Advocates – The third level is Advocates. These individuals offer advice and support to you. They may be a mentor or a coach. This relationship is usually one way in they provide and you receive.  

Allies – These individuals represent the ultimate level of relationship that urban professional/networkers are striving for. These individuals are working together with you in a mutually beneficial relationship. They are collaborators, partners and teammates.

The difference between an Advocate and Ally is the Advocate may give you advice from the sidelines. They may even supply you with resources and support. However, the Ally is right there with you. Standing there taking the punches right beside you. Maybe even sacrificing for you because they know you will sacrifice for them. Someone made a joke about the difference. An Advocate will visit you while you are in jail. An Ally will go to jail with you.  

Your Mission

Your mission as an urban professional is to elevate your acquaintances and Associates into allies and advocates. You want to set goals that bring about that transition. This is done by cultivating your social capital. 

The reason why a person transforms from an acquaintance to an advocate or ally is because you have demonstrated the qualities of competence and personal honor. People recommend and endorse people they trust and believe in. You recommend plumbers and doctors based upon the belief that they will do a good job and are fair and honorable with those who you recommend to them. By demonstrating competence and personal honor in your personal as well as business affairs you instill in others. 

There are three qualities that a leader must exemplify to build trust: competence, connection and character.

                                                              John C. Maxwell

                                                              Leadership 101

Personal Honor

Personal honor is a major factor in defining one’s character. Michael Monroe Keifer, author of the Powermind System talks about personal honor. “…People with true personal honor always have personal honor. This trait is defined as adherence to high standards of justice or ethical conduct. It sounds simple enough, yet millions lack it. People with personal honor will never allow someone lacking it to enter their inner circle. They connect do so, because doing so would compromise their own personal honor. The would be contaminated by association with the dishonorable person.

Elected Officials

Elected officials go all out to gain the confidence of the electorate. Through past practices, presentations, debates and appearances, the gain the trust and belief of the people.

Community Leadership

Working with community organizations, I found that newcomers would share their resources until they felt the organization was faire and capable in implementing their goals. Community members carefully guard their resources and contacts. The leadership must demonstrate that they deserve to be trusted with a resource. Keep in mind, the caveman did not just share his fire and everyone. The veteran urban professional knows how to open the doors and convince people that they are deserving of the benefits. 

Competency – Actions Speak Louder than Words

The other major factor in building your social capital and transforming individuals from acquaintances to allies is your ability to demonstrate expertise, quality and proficiency. Competency is your ability to deliver on what you say: the execution of your skills and the reliability of your product or service.

Face it. Frank is a great guy honest and trustworthy. But Frank is a lousy carpenter. Are you gong hire Frank to do a job?

If you are just looking for a new friend, Frank may fit the bill. But if you are seeking to create social capital i.e., a network of individuals who will bring productive benefits, then you must look a little deeper.

          “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

                                                                Galatians, 6:7  

They say in order to get love you must give love. In order to bring honest and competent individuals into your circle you must demonstrate those qualities in your own life.

In the national bestseller, by Oren Harart, The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, he provides Powell’s rules for recruiting and promoting…” Look for intelligence and judgement and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.

Steps to developing your social capital

1.      Take out pad and create a chart with four parallel columns. Label each column with Acquaintance, Associate, Advocate or Ally.

2.     Take out your cell phone, rolodex or blackberry. Identify the members of your network. Place your colleagues, coworkers, friends and family contacts into each column based on the definitions provided.

        Note: While some of the roles may overlap. Categorize your network by primary role they play in your life.

3.      Place a star beside those relationships you want to cultivate.

4.     Create a plan that moves those individuals in the upper levels of your networking circles.

Relationships are developed through personal contact, the exchanging of ideas, the building of rapport and by demonstrating to that personal you have their best interest in mind. 

Your strategic relationship plan would include:

1.  Creating personal contact episodes – lunch, meetings, happy hour, home visits, special events
2.  Getting them involved in your projects or you become involved in theirs.
3.  Looking out for them. Letting them know about opportunities or resources.
4. Sending news clippings regarding their occupation or field.

Finally, by utilizing "Urban Networking" strategies, you will be able to expand your area of influence, increase your personal power and identify resources essential to your success. Utilize the above strategies and move causal relationships into mutually beneficial ones thereby, moving your agenda forward. A success Urban Professional is always surrounded by powerful network.

Michael Rice is an Community Engagement and PR Specialist. Best Selling author of "Be Magnificent - Exceed Your Expectations and is upcoming book, and "Urban Networking - the Handbook for the Urban Professional",  Books and resources are available on Amazon and at www.michaelricespeaks.com.  For more information on business networking go to www.theconnectornetwork.com.

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Resources

The Powermind System – Twelve Lessons on the psychology of Success. Author: Michael Monroe Kiefer, M.S.

Success through the Positive Mental Attitude  Author: W. Clement Stone,

The Leadership of Secrets of Colin Powell, Author: Oren Harart

Leadership 101 – Author: John C Maxwell

Be Magnificent! Exceed Your Expectations - Author: Michael Rice

Make Your Contact Count – Authors: Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon