Archive for October, 2009

I am currently attending my 25th college reunion at Stanford University. It is day #3 of a 4-day extravaganza. Stanford really knows how to host a grand event.

My goal for attending this reunion was to reconnect with old friends and to make new connections that might potentially develop into mutually beneficial relationships. I have long overlooked the rich resource of connections from my college days. I fully intend to reclaim my lost network and invest more time cultivating relationships with these intelligent, resourceful and motivated classmates. I encourage you to do the same.

I also had the opportunity to attend two special events facilitated by classmate Andy Chan. (see photo to right) Andy had run career services for Stanford Business School for several years until he was recently whisked away by Wake Forest University to build an exciting new platform of integrating personal and professional development into the college experience.

1. Career and Life Visioning workshop
2. Career Networking event

While attending Andy’s group networking event, I made several terrific new contacts that I am motivated to develop into potential relationships. I also gained a few new insights from Andy about networking, what it is and what it isn’t and how to do it even better. I felt compelled to share what I learned from Andy with all of you.

One of Andy’s insights about career development is that networking is like gardening. Read more about this relevant and important metaphor and how you could be networking more effectively. Gain pearls of wisdom about networking from Andy Chan:

Of course they do. Men and women think differently; They communicate differently; and men and women relate differently to people and events. Even their brains  work differently. (see John Medina’s book Brain Rules – chapter on gender differences).

Occasionally during my workshops on networking skill development, a man will ask me if my networking methods and techniques are more effective with women.

It has been my observation that women tend to build relationships through conversation, while men tend to build relationships through activity. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons that golf remains one of the most compelling “venues” for men to network and build business relationships.

Spending quality time with people of influence

There is power in the game of golf, notably the opportunity to spend quality time with people of influence. Read more…

Talking to strangers is good for you, your business and your career!

One of my favorite books on networking is from Keith Ferrazzi. It’s called Never Eat Alone and other secrets to success one relationships at a time.

It made me think more deeply about building a more powerful network by fully leveraging my present network, re-activating my past network, and yes, talking to strangers.

It’s worked for me. If this is something that you need to do as well, click through for some practical networking tips to help you get started right now.

…about networking at least. Your mother’s intention in telling you not to talk to strangers was to protect from bad people and bad things happening.

The intention of this article is to show how networking (even with strangers) can bring good people into your life and create good things for you and your business.

Why talk to strangers? Your future success will depend on more than just what you know; it will rely on who you know. Read more…. Read the rest of this entry »

Every public speaker has highs and lows. Great presentations you’ll remember for years to come and bad ones that you’ll never forget. Moments of brilliance and success, and times when you want to crawl under a rock. Yet, they are all valuable experiences. Each and every one of them.

I had one such “learning experience” this week. I was given the opportunity to share networking tips and facilitate a group exercise with 800 women during the afternoon networking reception at the BWF – the Business Women’s Forum in Hartford, CT on September 29, 2009. I had given a workshop called “Motivated Networking Follow-Up” to a group of 100+ professional and business women in the morning. It was an absolute home run by all measures. I was feeling pretty good. (read more about the highlights from this event)

Then it happened.

The audience at the afternoon reception did not respond to me or my message. The wine and appetizers were captivating the women’s total attention. Their need to unwind and just relax proved to be more compelling than my introduction and presentation content. They had had their fill of listening and learning new things for the day. They just wanted to spend some quality time with people that they knew. Few were interested in participating in the “Facilitated Introductions” networking exercise that I had designed.

What was my biggest mistake? I wasn’t flexible enough to respond to the situation. Read the full article…