Motivations are everything and is especially true in networking. I’ve found that many don’t network for the following reasons/excuses:
- They see no value in who they are. Ironic, sense God made us totally unique (check your DNA compared to every other human being on the planet).
- They are too busy. Too busy to connect…hmmmm?
- They only care about themselves. This is a huge problem unto itself.
- They don’t know where to start.
I found this post on 800-CEO-READ titled: " Six Essentials for Networking – Rules for Renegades." The author gives some great tips on how to make networking effective.
Go spread your story.
After taking thousands of people through our process called “Networlding” we have found that the #1 reason people don’t network is that they really don’t “get” networking. One of my colleagues, Billy Dexter, who used to be the head of diversity of MTV and I have shared often this simple, but profound fact.
Great networking involves really understanding the science of networks which shows us that great success in networking comes from building fewer quality relationships and then leveraging them out to more quality relationships to achieve the quantity that most people go after first. But I ask the question to all the audiences I speak to, “If Oprah was in your network, how many Oprahs would you need?”
Everyone answers, of course, just one–Oprah. This realization then helps my audiences realize that quality is the name of the game. Find the Oprahs in your life. Nurture THOSE relationships and ask, “How can we support one another in a mutually beneficial way?” Finding those great connectors and promoters like Oprah–and they are out there, can make all the difference in the effectiveness of your networking.
For more information, please visit our website and blog at http://www.networlding.com.
Melissa Giovagnoli
Founder and President
Networlding