People tend to think networking is about results. Yet, it’s really all about people. With the support of your network, you can create miraculous and wonderful results and accomplishments in your life. Yet the foundation of networking is people helping people. It’s the people factor.
Wherever there is a problem or challenge, when you bring people who want to help into the situation, the people factor will go to work to create an effective win-win solution. Your people power lies in your ability to connect with, relate to and be a source of inspiration , action and influence to the people that you come in contact with. The power of people coming together for a common good is tremendous.
There’s nothing unusual or difficult about networking . It is pure and simple about people being friendly, considerate and helpful. People who like one another tend to become friends and as friends they tend to be supportive, helpful and encouraging.
Your network is working when people are staying connected, being supportive, sharing information and ideas and expressing their care and concern for one another. People hang out with people they like. People tend to do business with people they like.
Building good relationships makes good business sense. Anyone who has made it big can tell you there are a lot of people who helped them along the way. Rather than having to do and learn everything on your own, your network allows you to leverage your actions and ideas. Leveraging obviously allows you to attain greater results in a shorter amount of time and/or with less effort.
Awareness
Awareness is a critical part of effective networking. You must be aware of your network or you will miss opportunities for yourself and others. Awareness means being in touch with reality and the world around you.
Awareness is always the first step to learning and growing. You must become aware of something in order to initiate a new way of relating. You must be open to learning something you didn’t already know. You must realize there is more to learn. And networking is a process of always learning . If you think you already know everything there is to know, then there is no opening for new information.
Be aware of:
· The network that you already have.
· The strengths, skills, information, contacts and expertise that you have to offer others.
· What the people in your network want and need.
· The vast and unlimited nature of your network.
· The way you relate to yourself and the people in your life.
· What people are saying.
· What you are saying and how you are either creating connection or distance.
· What you are thinking and not saying, that if you were saying it, it could be generating opportunities.
· The power and opportunity that your network provides to you.
· The willingness and desire of others to contribute to you.
· How networking can be an easy, natural part of your life.
· How networking is an accepted and expected way of relating and doing business.
· That everything you could possible want or need is available and right around you…it’s yours for the asking!
Opportunities are all around you and yet if you are not aware of them, it seems as if they do not exist. Your awareness determines your reality and your experience. As your awareness expands, your world expands.
Copyright Ó 2008 Donna Fisher
Donna Fisher, CSP
Author of Power Networking
, People Power, and Professional Networking
for Dummies
www.donnafisher.com
donna@donnafisher.com
Donna Fisher is the author of Power Networking, People Power and Professional Networking for Dummies. She believes in the power of people to create new possibilities for authentic success. She speaks for corporate meetings, conferences and conventions to help people become comfortable, confident and effective at connecting and creating opportunities.