The Savvy Networker

Keith Ferrazzi author of Never Eat Alone - in Seattle 6-15-09 Free Event

Keith Ferrazzi is an author I admire. His book "Never Eat Alone" is one of the cornerstones in my library on Building Relationships.

Keith has a new book out "Who's Got Your Back?" He is on tour with the book and the message. Keith will be in Seattle on June 15th and currently, you can get your ticket to attend his event at no charge. Here's the page to learn more and get registered.

That's 6 to 8PM on the 15th of June at the Westin Hotel in Seattle.

You do need to register to attend the event so be sure to grab a ticket by going to the link above.

I have my ticket and I hope that you will join me at this event. If you are planning to go, please let me know so we can look for each other at the Seattle event!

Fear Busters: Feel the fear ... and take action anyway

Fear is a great stopper.  It can make your heart beat faster, your palms grow sweaty, and it can paralyze you in place.

In business, fear can become an ever growing hurdle on your road to success.  If you let it.

I invite you to stare your fears down and take action to move through to the other side.

One way to do that is to have fear busting strategies in place so that you have your own tricks up your sleeve when fear comes calling.

The very first fear buster that I use is called ... who is talking to me right now?  That can also be whose voice is playing the danger alert in my head?  Is it me?  Someone from my past?  Some imagined person as in the invisible they.  Some of the self talk that can happen is, "What if I try and I fail?" "What if they think I'm too (fill in the blank)?" "What if this is a mistake, how will I recover ... maybe it's better to not try at all"  and so on ...

Once I can get in touch with who is sounding the FEAR alert, I can then move on to the next fear buster which is - is it true?  I simply ask myself, is the danger that fear is telling me about true?  It is true that I might fail, it's also equally true that I might succeed.  If the fear is telling me that I can't possible do something, I want to know if that is true.  Has no one else ever done what I am trying to do?  If someone else has done it, then why on earth can't I?  And, if no one else ever has, why can't I be the first?

And the final fear buster that I use is tap an advocate.  I have a close knit group of friends and advisors who know me and my mettle pretty darned well.  When I have wrestled with fear and managed to whittle it down to just doubt ... that's when I call on one of my advocates for a reality check and an attitude adjustment or uplift to push me on my way toward achieving my goals.

I hope that when you find fear messing with your head, your heart, and your goals - that you will use these ideas to keep moving forward.

I would love to hear how you handle and disarm your fears - so please be sure to leave a comment here or send me a tweet at http://twitter.com/zitagustin

In the meantime, here are a bunch of quotes that will also give you insight to how to handle fear.

Dale Carnegie
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Les Brown
Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.

Norman Vincent Peale
When you are afraid, do the thing you are afraid of and soon you will lose your fear of it.

Denis Waitley
Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the 'someday I'll' philosophy.

Unknown Author
Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.

Author unknown
Do not let your fears choose your destiny.

Richard Bach
Listen to what you know instead of what you fear.

Henry Ford
Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

Henry David Thoreau
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

 

The funny side of Social Media

If you have ever felt that you can't keep up with one more piece of the Social Media Pie, you may enjoy watching this short musical video that I've included below.

The rate of speed of the inputs from Social Media can leave many of us feeling complete overwhelm and, at times, totally socially illiterate or distracted by internet interruptus. 

So, to add a little comic relief to your workaday world, allow me to give you one more distraction that will put some of this into perspective.  Enjoy!

Working with your Muse

I hope you'll enjoy watching this video as much as I did.  I love the perspective of thinking that "genius" is a gift from the universe and that we have the ability to receive information and pass it along to others through our own efforts.  I would be interested in your thoughts once you've completed watching.  Enjoy.

How to Really Use LinkedIn - Book Launch News

My networking friend, Jan Vermeiren, is launching his new book - "How to Really Use LinkedIn" and he has a special offer for folks who buy his book through Amazon.com today or tomorrow. 

This is a timely book with great and highly useful information on how to make the most of your time while you are on LinkedIn.  I have an advance copy and I'm finding the book to be easy to read and the concepts Jan covers are easy to grasp and even easier to put into place.

Topics that are covered in the book:

• LinkedIn Functionality
• Basic Strategies, including crafting your profile and building your network
• Groups
• Visibility through Answers
• The Power of LinkedIn
• Advanced Strategies, including how to find new clients, how to find a job, how to find suppliers
• And, quite a lot more

The special launch offer includes a whole bunch of goodies and you can read about that at the following link http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/en-buy.html 

Grab the book and then grab the goodies and get busy on your LinkedIn profile!

Happy Connecting!

How to be a LinkedIn superstar - Groups and Q and A - iMediaConnection.com

Here's a great article on the best ways to use LinkedIn. It is a long article and well worth the read. Enjoy!

How to be a LinkedIn Superstar

Business Networking for Job Seekers

If you (or someone you care about) have found yourself staring at a pink slip, of course you are not alone.  Lately, it seems that you cannot turn on the news without hearing that another group of people has joined the list of the unemployed.

And, of course, if this has happened to you there are all sorts of emotional triggers and stages of grief that you are likely finding yourself dealing with.  I met with Cindy Haba yesterday with DBM (a leading global outplacement, coaching, and career management firm) and she shared with me that there is a transition curve that people are experiencing which includes the ending of their job, exploration of what the possibilities are, and then new beginnings.

Today, I want to talk about the endings segment of transition.

For some there is a hint that an ending is coming.  For others, the loss of their job hits them out of the clear blue.  Either way, these folks find themselves working through the following stages: Denial, anxiety, shock, fear, anger, frustration, confusion, and stress.  And that's just the part about coming to terms with the situation before they can move on to exploration and new beginnings!

If you or someone you know is in this situation - or if you are feeling your job is "up in the air" right now, I want you to know it is never too late to pack your parachute!  A good, strong, supportive network of contacts can be the salve to ease your pain. 

Here are some suggestions for building business networking relationships that will sustain you and help you over the tough spots that may lie ahead.

• Get to know people up the ladder from your position in your current company (of course this works better if you still have a job)  These connections can be key if your department is downsized - perhaps your skills will come in handy in another division.  You stand a better chance of making it into that pool IF you have visibility outside of your own department, cubicle, or area of expertise.
• Make it a point to know latteral people in your industry.  This should include people both inside and outside of your current company.  These are the folks who will keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities for you ... and, of course, you'll do the same for them.
• Be or get active in trade or service associations.  This helps people outside of your usual work atmosphere to see you in action and to see the "stuff you are made of"  Volunteering helps to build your visibility and your trustworthiness.
• Use Social Media sites to stay in touch with people you already know but don't have time for face to face contact.  You want to let people know that you are interested in what matters to them, what is going on in their lives, and how you can be of service to them.  Again, this tactic keeps you visible and on the radar screen.
• Learn to use Social Media to get answers to your questions or to be seen as an expert in your field.  Again, this tactic increases your visibility.  If you've got extra time on your hands right now, why not spend some of that time writing articles that showcase your expertise.  You can also strengthen your network by posting comments on blogs that are relative to your industry or area of expertise.  All of these strategies increase your Google footprint ... and you know that potential employers will Google you, right?
• Be curious about others.  Let your desire to be the focus of every conversation fall away.  Ask questions of others and let it be about them.  You'll learn more by listening than you ever will from talking.  And people always remember a good listener.  They will be more likely to engage you in discussion at another time and they'll be more likely to remember you when they hear of an opening or an opportunity that would be good for you.  People will care more about you when they know that you cared about them first.
• Find ways to be innovative.  If you've lost your job, you are not alone.  There are hundreds if not thousands of people out there looking for new places to land.  You've got to find ways to stay ahead of the pack.  Tapping into your network for ideas and support can go a long way to helping you stay on top of new ideas, new opportunities, and possibilities.
• Get focused.  What do you want the next segment of your work life to look like?  Who do you know who is already doing that?  Do some research using online tools to gather as much info as you can about what you want to do next and then start letting your network know that you are a person with a plan and lay out your roadmap so that your network can help you to navigate toward your goal or goals.
• Get busy.  You cannot move on to the next big thing in your life if you are lying in bed with the covers pulled up over your head.  That may be comfortable.  But, it's not helpful.  Visibility (which I've mentioned several times) is key to opening up more doors for you.  Get out there and be seen at events.  Be positive in your comments.  Be forward thinking and graceful in your demeanor.  BE the person that you want others to see as capable and valuable to their organization.  Essentially, you want to start dropping the bread crumbs that will become a trail leading back to you in the minds of everyone that you meet.  You want to become the possible and highly likely solution to their needs or the needs of someone that they know.
• Most important though, is to remember to stay low on the needy scale.  Resist all temptation to wallow in your stages of denial, anxiety, anger, etc.  If you are clingy or needy in your networking strategy you will not achieve the desired outcome of positive visibility.  You want to have people appreciate being around you - so remember to keep your attitude and comments positive so that you will attract what you desire.

If you find that you are overwhelmed with the concept of building a network, please consider this - more than 75% of jobs that are filled ... are filled through warm contact within a network.  You cannot afford to NOT have a far reaching network.  Consider starting today to build your network ... and remember a journey starts with a single step ... so break it down into steps you can take consistently and often.

Happy Connecting.

The problem with expectations

Last night, I was reading the March issue of O Magazine when I came across this idea from Rudy Rasmus, "I believe expectations are premeditated resentment."  (There was more to the quote.  He was answering a person's question and if you want to see the whole story... go to page 66 of the March Issue of O Magazine.)

Wow, what a concept.  That really got me to thinking about the issue of expectations.  Do we set ourselves up to resent others when they don't live up to what we expect?  Who owns the expectation?  And then who owns the resentment?  It is amazing to me how we often get in the way of our own best intentions. 

For myself, I'm thinking about how many times I have been disappointed when my expectations have not been met ... but then, I'm also looking at have I expressed my desires in a way that would give the other party fair warning of what I wanted?

With Networking being all about building relationships, I'm thinking that I'm going to have to be more aware of the role I play in setting up premeditated resentments.

This is definitely one of those things that has made me go, "hmmmm."

How about you?  I would love to hear your thoughts around this.

Follow up - Greetings - You can use right away

Back in December, I posted here that I was dismayed with Plaxo's decision to step back in time with their ecards.

I've found a new source for all of you who want a way to brighten someone's day without the added hassle of having to follow a link to pick up a greeting card that you have sent via email.

 

Andrea J. Lee is the World License Holder, Thomas Leonard Works Former General Manager, CoachVille.com, and she hosts his original cards on this site 
http://bestofthomas.com/cards/index.php .

The cards are well thought out and inspirational.  Once you personalize the card it is sent directly to your adressee via email.  That means it pops right into their mail box and they don't have to go pick up your greeting.

Smart, fast, and easy.  Follow up with people you want to stay in instant touch with and you'll be gaining top of mind awareness as you do.  That's just another way to say thank you.

Happy Connecting!

What are YOU networking for?

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover."  And, yet, I know that when I am in the bookstore ... I often do just that.  If the cover looks amateurish or if it doesn't grab my attention, I pass it by.

When you are out networking, you are constantly being "judged" by the people you are spending time with.  Folks who are networking and seem desperate in theirr approach or needy - well, people can sense that and I promise you that these folks' networking results will not be what they had hoped they would be.  And that is because people will avoid them or figure out ways to limit their exposure to them.

This is true no matter how polished a person may be in appearance or in presentation.  The bottom line is that a person's intent will always be apparent to those around them.

Don't let this be you.  Just about every networking guru out there will tell you that networking should be about building relationships and about seeing how you can help others - FIRST.  The getting comes later.  

So, if you are networking to "GET" something, please know that you probably won't be as successful in your networking endeavors as you would be if you were more focused on how you can be of service to others.

Spend some time before your next networking event thinking about the ways that you can be of service to the people that you are hoping to meet.  Put those ideas into practice.  You'll find that more people are willing to spend time with you when you focus on them rather than on yourself.

I know it takes a leap of faith and courage to do this.  But I do hope that you will try it!

Happy Connecting!