The Business Alliance Grapevine - It's All in the BAG!

What Networking Isn’t

You have been there before. Cocktail weenies and cheddar cheese cubes on the buffet, cash bar and name tags everywhere you look. Some people are clever and include the company name. Others, who are mainly there seeking a date or to eat some free chicken wings, just have “Al” on their nametag as if I should know who the heck Al is and just why it is that I would want to talk to Al.  Some of the more clever types have created their own name badges, laminated, with stickers or “flair” for those who remember the movie “Office Space.” These badges are meant to be attention grabbers or standouts  in the hope that you will remember them long after the event is over.

After all, you have come to meet some new contacts but you were not ready for George.  He sees you from across the room, breaks away from the herd of meatball grabbers like some sort of business version of a wounded gazelle. Business card out, smiling that smile that let’s you know he has you in his sights, he puts out his hand for a shake and you quickly realize there is no way you can avoid him. “Hi, I am George and my company is JUNKLOVERS. (All capital letters are meant to convey the exuberance with which he announces his humble venture).  My company is a waste removal specialist organization. We declutter your life and help you leverage blah blah blah.” What was that last part? Is he still talking?

Truth is, he lost me at “and my company.”  I am not listening because I did not ask for his story. I didn’t come here to buy from him. I could have stayed home and listened to the QVC channel if I had wanted to buy something. I could have perused the yellow pages and pondered the different products and services listed. But I wanted to meet people. I wanted to network.

Maybe if this guy knew what networking was not meant to be, he might have been less annoying and more likely to have grabbed my attention.

So what isn’t networking?

Networking is not about increasing your sales.
Networking is not about improving your love life.
Networking is not about a free meal.
Networking does not cause weight loss.

Networking is about your relationships with others. Period. It is about meeting people.  And after you meet them, there may come a day when you sell them something or even buy something from them, but initially, please don’t sell me your stuff. 

And I am not in an elevator, so why are you giving me your elevator pitch?

Elevator pitches are for amateurs. An amateur needs to have a memorized speech that they can give to everyone and anyone thinking that it will increase the chance that the person in front of them will buy something or introduce them to a buyer. The problem with an elevator pitch is that it is all about you.

So put your elevator pitch away with your superman sheets and your smurf toothbrush and grow up.

Amateurs take direction and then try to replicate what they see others doing. Professionals innovate with the accumulated knowledge they have of what works and what doesn’t work.   Professionals respond authentically and in real-time to create a conversation that will move their business forward.  Knowing all the tips and tricks may actually hurt you and your business.

Networks exist because we do need each other. But, we can smell a gimmick a mile away. Gimmicks can create distrust.  You actually have to figure it out on your own and do it in a manner that fits with who you are.  Luckily, many people find it easier to be themselves and to simply take care of others the best they can.

Make it easy on yourself. Ask yourself a few questions to get grounded on what can work. Can you determine how you like to be treated? Can you be in the moment and be comfortable being yourself with others? I love being with people who care about me. I bet a lot of other people love that too.

And we all know what it is like to be with someone who cares about us. 

They ask about my day, and then they listen to my answer.

They check in on my family, and then seem pleased that everyone is well.

They remember some project I was working on.

They take the time to let me tell my stories, and they look at me while I talk.

In general they look a lot like a friend of yours.

The good and bad news is you cannot effectively fake care and concern over a  long period of time. True networking takes time, so behave like you have the time.

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Leadership Traits – Which ones are important in today’s business world?

Marita Mitschein – marita.mitschein@viamar-intl.com - Guest Columnist

“Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing.”  --  Warren Bennis, Ph.D. – On Becoming a Leader

Due to the increasing rate of change within the global business environment there is a new emphasis on leadership values. Executive leadership goes beyond the traditional values of increasing growth, managing consolidation and controlling spending. Current forces require that an executive not only has the proper business pedigree, but also has attributes that others admire at the interpersonal level. He or she needs to possess  characteristics that people will buy into as a focal point to achieve the desired business goals. This is what we call leadership.

Excellence in leadership is achieved through hard work and a desire to see oneself in a leadership position. It requires the ability to  break things down into smaller elements and to learn each element step by step, thus building the foundation to achieve the desired goal. It takes passion, vision and commitment to work through the ups-and-downs of becoming a leader and to remain focused on the goal. Fifty percent of success is working on it every day.

Throughout history there have been many great leaders and many infamous ones as well. Leadership traits are distinguishing qualities or characteristics of the individual. Examples of leadership traits include: optimism, high energy, confident vocal inflections, strong public speaking skills and the ability to maintain one’s composure.
Strong leaders seek out opportunities to turn their weaknesses into strengths. Similar to the soccer player who misses a goal scoring opportunity because she missed setting  up her strong foot, today’s executives know that if they miss an opportunity because they are not prepared, it may never present itself again. Success is when preparation and opportunity meet. Executives may not be able to control when opportunities present themselves, but they can definitely prepare themselves  in the strongest way possible for the times when opportunity does strike.
There are traits of a leader that should never be compromised. These include conscientiousness, respect and integrity. Setting a high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do the best possible while remaining honest and trustworthy are basic leadership  traits. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. – Aristotle 

Leaders are both teachers and avid learners who collect information from multiple channels, filter it and then formulate a way forward that they intuitively believe will achieve their desired result.
Some important additional traits that a  leader should possess in today’s business world are:

Optimism – people do not want to follow leaders who think the future is bad; “Optimism is the one quality more associated with success and happiness than any other.” – Brian Tracy.

Enthusiasm and Catalytic - leaders are usually seen to be active, expressive and energetic. A leader is ultimately the one who gets people going. Leaders can raise passion, enthusiasm and the action of others.

Communication – excelling in communications means knowing how to distribute the right level of information to maximize the team’s effectiveness and efficiency and knowing when to not over-communicate; people understand the message and can then execute.

Risk Taker – identifying and calculating risks; knowing what can be gained from taking the risk and what can be lost; whenever we try something new, we are taking a risk. Trying new things is part of the growth process.

High Energy and Emotional Stability – being able to tolerate frustrations, stress, long hours and travel, but also knowing that others may not be as tolerant; remaining alert and staying focused.

Team Orientation – means viewing personal power and recognition second to the development of the team; understanding that more can be accomplished by empowering others than by ruling others; a leader guides a team and does not rule them, he understands the individuality of players and the dynamics of group interaction. “The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.” - Kenneth Blanchard

Flexibility and Embracing Change – leaders can always learn more; change may be necessary to re-energize and re-focus the team or to remain competitive; a leader embraces change for the positive impact it will have on the organization

Charisma – is the uncanny ability to influence people; a charismatic leader projects confidence, assertiveness, and possesses superb communication skills. Leaders who have charisma have the ability to arouse strong emotions in their employees by defining a vision which unites and captivates.

Intuitiveness and Empathy – there is no way that a leader can know everything, they must trust their intuition, training and instincts; having the ability to put oneself into other people’s shoes allows leaders to gain a broader perspective and increases empathy.
Psychology has made strong contributions to the field of executive leadership by determining and describing the key traits of acknowledged leaders. Executive leadership testing can assist individuals in gaining insight into their leadership skills portfolio, and by developing a personalized leadership skill development program. Leaders are made by circumstances, persistence and hard work.

“Waste no time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” – Marcus Aurelius