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7 Tips For Effective Business Networking

February 4th, 2010 by Matthew C. Keegan | 3 Comments | Filed in Achieving Success

Effective networking is most beneficial!

Networking is a hot topic with so many people out of work, underemployed, or simply having given up looking for work. Even some people who feel safe in their positions wonder what they would do if they lost their jobs.

The key for everyone? Networking, which is defined by Entrepreneur.com as meaning, “Developing and using contacts made in business for purposes beyond the reason for the initial contact.”

That’s a mouthful but it suggests something well beyond a passing fancy. It is all about building up relationships that are mutual and satisfying. Not always on equal terms, but beneficial to both parties.

Effective networking is something everyone should strive for, but how do we implement and nurture that strategy? There are a number of things you can do to help you in that endeavor:

1. Get Real: If you want to be a friend, then show yourself friendly. This means being “real” with people and genuinely concerned with how that person thinks or feels.

2. Be Clear: Too many messages are muddled these days with people parsing their words, changing what they said, or outright reneging on their promises. Who needs that? Say what you mean, mean what you say and you will eliminate most misunderstandings.

3. Immerse Yourself: Break free of just one group of people by joining several groups of interest to you. Let your enthusiasm spring forth, be passionate about whatever who you are and what you do. This also means culling activities where you do not excel or where networking fruit is non-existent. Poet Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “It’s faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living.” Enthusiasm is contagious and can be a life giver!

4. Stand Tall: Are you an expert in your field or knowledgeable in a particular area of expertise? Become known as a trusted authority and do everything you can to cultivate and maintain that trust. A “go to” person is a people magnet, someone frequently called upon for help.

5. Assume Leadership: Not everyone is a leader, many people are followers. But leadership goes beyond a title, it is also a condition. Initiate, implement, and advance what you believe and people will respect you regardless of your title. Even effective leaders know their place as British statesman Benjamin Disraeli said, “I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?”

6. Respond Quickly: When approached by someone for assistance or when an inquiry is made, be prepared to respond as soon as you can. Your quick response shows this person that you think they are important, someone they will remember as being a helpful network builder.

7. Joint Projects: Collaborate with like-minded people to get the job done. Rubbing shoulders with people cements relationships, offering visible proof of each person’s talents.

Each of these steps must be put into practice nurtured if you want to be part of a healthy network. Your strong network is what you will need to fall back on in times of trouble, taking out from it what you have been putting into it all along.


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Achieving Success BLOG

May 2nd, 2009 by Krayton M Davis | No Comments | Filed in Achieving Success

BLOG postings: (link to Achieving Success BLOG for PDF downloads)

Execute Success: The Evaluation Process

I saw a fleet of fishing boats . . . I flew down almost touching the craft and yelled at them, asking if I was on the right road to Ireland. They just stared. Maybe they didn’t hear me. Maybe I didn’t hear them. Or maybe they thought I was just a crazy fool. An hour later I saw land.
Charles Lindbergh

The steps outlined in these next postings will measure your progress on a daily, weekly and phase-to-phase basis. We have segmented the postings into the following discussions:

I: Daily Task Measurement.
II: Weekly Goal and Benchmark Evaluation
III: Weekly Role Evaluation
IV: Daily Character Attribute Evaluation
V: Weekly Character Attribute Evaluation
VI: Life Phase Evaluation
VII: Starting a New Life Phase
VIII: Objective and Goal Evaluation

VII: Starting a New Life Phase

You will begin a new life phase for two reasons:

a) When circumstances in your life require that you shift direction and pursue other goals.

Certain changes in your life may force you to end your current life phase and begin a new one. Changes such as a new career, marriage, transfer to a new location, etc., will require new goals and perhaps a different goal plan. This will be an appropriate time to begin a new life phase.

Some changes in your life can be dramatic like a divorce, a death in the family or a loss of job. This can be upsetting where you lack the enthusiasm to pursue your goals. This is understandable. Your best option under these circumstances is to begin a new life phase and select some special goals and benchmarks that can help you through this time.

Beginning a new life phase is easy. Simply follow the steps outlined in Chapter 12. The next phase will begin with n+1 ( n equals the number of your current phase that is ending). Assign 2-5 years to the n+1 phase. Select the goal(s) with their respective benchmarks that you want to achieve or continue for the next phase. Identify the tasks that will achieve the benchmarks with assigned completion dates.

b) When your current phase ends, or when you achieve all of the benchmarks and goals selected for the current phase.

You will begin a new life phase when your current phase ends. It’s a great feeling to complete a phase, especially when you achieved all of the goals/benchmarks assigned for this phase. You are achieving success . . . one phase at a time.

As you end one life phase and begin another, simply repeat the steps outlined in Chapter 12 for beginning a life phase. Consider working and accomplishing more goals and benchmarks in the next phase to inch yourself closer to the objective — if you have the confidence and strength to accomplish more.

Sometimes a life phase will end without your achieving all the goals and benchmarks assigned for this phase; e.g., you didn’t get accepted to graduate school or you failed to win that special promotion. You might want to extend your current life phase for additional year or two to complete the goals/benchmarks that were unfinished.

Next week: we move onto VIII: Objective and Goal Evaluation

You can find the day planning systems we are illustrating in this discussion in our FREE appendix file (Appendix as Form-N and Forms O.1-O.7 ).

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Achieving Success BLOG

April 18th, 2009 by Krayton M Davis | No Comments | Filed in Achieving Success

BLOG postings: (link to Achieving Success BLOG for PDF downloads)

Execute Success: The Evaluation Process

I saw a fleet of fishing boats . . . I flew down almost touching the craft and yelled at them, asking if I was on the right road to Ireland. They just stared. Maybe they didn’t hear me. Maybe I didn’t hear them. Or maybe they thought I was just a crazy fool. An hour later I saw land.
Charles Lindbergh

The steps outlined in these next postings will measure your progress on a daily, weekly and phase-to-phase basis. We have segmented the postings into the following discussions:

I: Daily Task Measurement.
II: Weekly Goal and Benchmark Evaluation
III: Weekly Role Evaluation
IV: Daily Character Attribute Evaluation
V: Weekly Character Attribute Evaluation
VI: Life Phase Evaluation
VII: Starting a New Life Phase
VIII: Objective and Goal Evaluation

VI: Life Phase Evaluation

We now turn to your personal “Goal Planning Kit” that you assembled in Chapter 12 to measure your goal progress. Periodically, you will refer to your kit to plan the goals/benchmarks/and related tasks for a planning week. As you complete each assigned task listed on your Task Assignment Sheet (Appendix Form-J), you will add new task assignments until you complete everything that has been planned for this life phase. You will refer back to Chapter 12 to assign new tasks as diagrammed by the letter “J” on the illustration.

Much can happen in the next 2-5 years to change your goal selection. You could change your career or studies, you could get married, or you could win a million-dollar lottery. Changes in your life can affect the selection of goals that you planned for this phase.

The Benchmark Planning and Selection sheets (Appendix Form-I) list the goals and benchmarks that you selected for this life phase. You will need to review this selection periodically to evaluate whether you are accomplishing these goals and benchmarks. Perhaps you need to change one or two goals. Or maybe you need to add or delete one or more goals or benchmarks (see the illustration below). If you decide to change your entire goal/benchmark selection, I suggest you begin a new phase selection as discussed in the next section.

Next week: we move onto VII: Starting a New Life Phase

You can find the day planning systems we are illustrating in this discussion in our FREE appendix file (Appendix as Form-N and Forms O.1-O.7 ).

———-
Read more about achieving success and become something grand: subscribe to our RSS feed


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Achieving Success BLOG

April 12th, 2009 by Krayton M Davis | No Comments | Filed in Achieving Success

BLOG postings: (link to Achieving Success BLOG for PDF downloads)

Execute Success: The Evaluation Process

I saw a fleet of fishing boats . . . I flew down almost touching the craft and yelled at them, asking if I was on the right road to Ireland. They just stared. Maybe they didn’t hear me. Maybe I didn’t hear them. Or maybe they thought I was just a crazy fool. An hour later I saw land.
Charles Lindbergh

The steps outlined in these next postings will measure your progress on a daily, weekly and phase-to-phase basis. We have segmented the postings into the following discussions:

I: Daily Task Measurement.
II: Weekly Goal and Benchmark Evaluation
III: Weekly Role Evaluation
IV: Daily Character Attribute Evaluation
V: Weekly Character Attribute Evaluation
VI: Life Phase Evaluation
VII: Starting a New Life Phase
VIII: Objective and Goal Evaluation

V: Weekly Character Attribute Evaluation

You will complete a weekly character evaluation when you plan your goals and benchmarks for the new week. The evaluation measures your development for the week as explained in the attribute chapters. You may also assign new character attribute goals for the week as appropriate. See the illustration below.

Chapters 7-11 outlined the steps that plan and measure your character development. You begin by developing one character attribute at a time (begin with the physical attribute). You will develop and strengthen this attribute for two consecutive weeks (11 or more days) before developing a second character attribute. You will repeat this cycle for all five attributes — developing each respective attribute for two consecutive weeks before taking on a new character attribute. Complete the steps in Chapters 7-11 as instructed. These steps will help you develop each character attribute as intended.

Below is a flow chart that summarizes the steps from Chapters 7-11. You will refer to this chart frequently when planning character development programs for the week.

Note the term, Attribute 1.1. This term refers to one of the five character attributes and its first character change or development. Note the term, Attribute 1.2. This term refers to the same character attribute and its second character change or development. Let’s use two examples to explain these terms.

You decide to develop your physical attribute by jogging 30 minutes each morning. You will then assign the term Attribute 1.1 to represent the physical character attribute(1) and its development goal, jogging(1). After successfully jogging for 10 consecutive weeks, you decide to set a new physical development goal such as eating a low-fat diet. You will then assign the term Attribute 1.2 to represent the physical attribute(1) and its development goal, low -fat diet(2). Attribute 1.1 references the physical development goal, jogging. Attribute 1.2 references the physical development goal, low-fat diet.

Note the term, Attribute 2.1. This term refers to the second of the five character attributes and its first character change or development. Note the term, Attribute 2.2. This term refers to the same character attribute and its second character change or development. For example, you decide to develop your physical temperance attribute by moderating your alcohol consumption to 1 drink per day. You will then assign the term Attribute 2.1 to represent the attribute physical temperance(2) and its development goal, moderation in drinking.

After successfully moderating your drinking habits for ten consecutive weeks, you decide to set a new physical temperance goal, such as limiting television time to 30 minutes each day. You will then assign the term Attribute 2.2 to represent the attribute physical temperance(2) and its development goal, limit television time(2).

Attribute 2.1 references the physical temperance goal, moderation in drinking. Attribute 2.2 references the physical temperance goal, limit television time. The term Attribute 3.1 references the third character attribute and its first character change or development.

I recommend the following assignment of terms:

Attribute 1:n Physical Attribute
Attribute 2:n Physical Temperance Attribute
Attribute 3:n Education Attribute
Attribute 4:n Social Attribute
Attribute 5:n Spiritual Attribute

n: refers to the development goal.

The order in which you shape your character is your decision. Your objective is to round your character and increase discipline. You are changing yourself physically, educationally, socially and spiritually. The length of time to make these changes will differ among people. The flow chart suggests that it takes at least ten consecutive weeks to make a character change. You may need more or less than ten weeks depending on your attribute goal and strength.

Note from the flow chart that you will remove Attribute 1.1 from your attribute development plan after ten consecutive weeks. Attribute 1.1 should become part of your character and will no longer be part of your weekly planning session. You will continue to strengthen Attribute 1.1, but more on a routine basis rather than on a planning basis. You should now plan and develop Attribute 1.2 for two consecutive weeks along with Attributes 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, and 5.1.

After successfully completing Attribute 2.1 for ten consecutive weeks, Attribute 2.1 becomes part of your character and is dropped from the attribute development plan. You should now plan and develop Attribute 2.2 for two consecutive weeks along with Attributes 1.2, 3.1, 4.1, and 5.1. This process repeats itself indefinitely for the rest of your life.

You will notice after several months that your character is becoming more rounded. You will have increased strength and discipline in all five character attributes. Your ability to accomplish feats will become easier. Physical, educational, social and spiritual feats that were impossible a few months ago will become part of your character.

The development pattern that you use to strengthen your character may change over time. You may find yourself doing more sporadic development of your character to keep in-shape. For example, you may develop Attributes 1.5, 3.4, and 5.2 for a stated period. Then after awhile, you may change this pattern and develop Attributes 1.3, 2.2, and 4.5. You may even repeat past character development goals if, for example, you fail to jog each morning as you did in the past.

Changing the pattern and alternating your character development goals is much like working atop a potter’s wheel. The potter shapes and reshapes a bowl to maintains its perfect circumference. If you shape one part of your character more than the other parts, a rounded character can easily become disfigured, much like a bowl that becomes disfigured by the disjointed movement of the potter’s hands.

Character changes are not guaranteed to be permanent. Disruptions or changes in your live can easily revert a strong character back into weak character. Keeping your character in-shape is much like cultivating a garden. You may shape the most beautiful garden over time, but simple neglect can reverse hours of painstaking work. In an unattended garden, weeds return and plague your furrowed rolls of vegetables and flowers.

To return the garden to its pristine beauty, you must go back into the garden and repeat the gardening process of weeding, cultivating, fertilizing, pruning, etc. This same analogy holds true for character development. Simple neglect in your character development can revert you to your weakened position. You must return and redevelop the character attribute that has become weakened. It is a process of shaping and reshaping your character that will last for the rest of your life.

Next week: we move onto VI: Life Phase Evaluation

You can find the day planning systems we are illustrating in this discussion in our FREE appendix file (Appendix as Form-N and Forms O.1-O.7 ).

———-
Read more about achieving success and become something grand: subscribe to our RSS feed


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