What are the key points that enable functioning networks that survive years and also survive job changes?

About BMW & about "time tests everything" principle, in short about functioning networks - a little story from my professional everyday life?? I like to build great, functioning networks, it is incredibly easy for me to get to know new exciting people in the tech world, I recognize right away who can be strategically or technically interesting for whom in my network and I have an incredible memory for faces and technical details - even if years lie in between. I didn't even have to learn all that, it comes naturally to me. Yes, that exists - some are born with a great musical ear - that's not my case ?? - others are born as a natural at networking - that's exactly my case ??

The insiders - that is, of course, my parents ??- claim that I have already connected children in the sandbox. Sounds like a joke, but that's actually true. I was a very confident and quick-witted child and used my 'gift' not to dominate, but to help. To help other much shyer kids who I brought into my network and connected with each other. "Together we are stronger" - principle I understood very early.

Those of you who have read carefully so far may be wondering - what does all this have to do with BMW??

Well, this picture above was taken yesterday in Dingolfing at lunch with two BMW and one Sika colleagues.?

Many of you know that before my time with Elite Experts Conferences, I was active in the technical field myself - namely in adhesives technologies. I don't come from a marketing background, I have a technical background with an university degree in chemistry and a PhD in materials science! I worked for the R&D of the Swiss company Sika Technology in Zurich and was responsible for R&D and technical service for the customers BMW and Fiat Chrysler worldwide in the ?Direct Glazing‘ technologies. For those not in this field - this is the last step on the automotive assembly line when the glasses are put in place on the car and the decorative elements are bonded. That included everything from the initial trials in the lab, to pilot production, to mass production, to the line at the OEM's. And if things didn't go smoothly in any of the customers' plants - BMW and FCA Group - around the world in my technologies, it landed on my desk. It was exciting work and no two days were the same.

I knew the Zurich - Munich route very well, because after all, we from the Sika team not only met with the customer should technical problems arise, but also to discuss new development projects. We worked very closely with the development departments at BMW. This was more than an OEM - supplier business relationship. It was more like a joint research team that had a common task - to develop a great high performance adhesive for the next car models of the future. Challenging, difficult, but never boring!

Well, now how do you best test networks??Over time! More than three years have passed since I left Sika and yet this functioning network with Sika, but also with BMW, still exists. It was such a pleasure to combine a business trip to Munich with a visit to some BMW colleagues in Dingolfing the other day. Erwin and Günther - it was a great time with you! Meeting my former Key Account Manager colleagues from Sika Automotive on 99% of my business trips to Munich has become a regular part of the program in Munich anyway. We always meet, even if I only come to Munich for a short conference. This is not only how business relationships are formed, this is how friendships are formed. Uli, thank you for this great friendship over the years!?

What are the key points that enable functioning networks that survive years and also survive job changes? In a nutshell, for me it's the following points:

1. always treat people as people, not as job titles. No one becomes more or less valuable in combination with a job title.
2. the most important question in networking is NOT "how can this person be useful to me now or later?" but an honest "how and where can I help you?"
3. over the years a great big network is built - learn it early to combine the request of one person with the talent, skill, knowledge of another person within your network and bring those people together.?
4. bring very different people into your network - with different skills and traits, but with the same basic values as yourself. This forms bonds that last a lifetime.
5. invest time and effort in relationship building - this gives back a lot on a human level. Networking is not about strategies and predictability, who can be useful to whom, it is so much more about being human.

Well then, I wish you all great networking, successful business relationships and year long true friendships ???????

Ludmilla

PS: I got to know that my former key account manager from Sika, who was responsible for Fiat Chrysler, is retiring at the end of this year - of course I will call and wish him all the best. That is networking on a human level. Stay real, stay human ???????