A Turning Point – Tip of the Week
Beyond Networking: Building Your Personal Entourage for Professional Success!
You know the subject of “Networking” is near and dear to my heart and I have learned over the past many years not only to embrace this but LOVE doing it. Why you ask?
For me it is all about connections, relationships, collaboration and ultimately to actively follow my passion of helping others get access to the desired life they choose. This comes in many flavors and under several labels all of which I have an affinity too.
Today it’s about creating your “circle of influence” in a different and more effective and meaningful way. I had the privilege and delight to spend time with Leslie Grossman this week on the AWE Factor show to learn more about her proven strategies to make this happen and to participate in an engaging dialog about what networking is and how to expand beyond it!
Self-discovery: This is really taking a look at who you really are, what you are passionate about and how you vision yourself in the world whether it be work or in your life. Finding your authentic voice and sharing it with others. We all have a personal brand and it is up to us to create it, live it and share it.
Connections: Making REAL connections with people that you are interested in knowing and who are interested in knowing you. This is all about building trusting relationships and about helping each other expand and grow. Creating a “circle of influence” that you can be your Authentic self no matter what is going on. This takes time and desire to cultivate these meaningful connections. Have you thought about who is in your “circle of influence”? Are there others that need to be included and what is your strategy to make this happen? I went through an exercise recently that took a look at all the “connections” I have and to assess who would be in my circle of influence. And admittedly it was an eye opening experience that shifted how and with whom I share my time and energy with…well worth the self-discovery process at another level.
Courtesy : This is about being present and I mean really present when you are connecting with another person. We all love to talk about what is happening in our life and equally the need to be heard! Take a step back and initiate the opportunity to ask questions from a place of curiosity and really listen. You can learn something that could be missed if you are in your head thinking about what it is you want to share or receive…you’ll get your turn!
Communications: This includes the active listening skill that isn’t something that comes natural and takes time to develop. Using your active listening skills to hear and feel what the person is saying and guaranteed you will learn something new and rich for the relationship building process. Try this the next time you go to an event or conference. Meet two new people and proactively engage with them. Come from a place of curiosity to learn their story and actively listen to everything they are saying. Get out of your head and be totally present. You will be receiving the “present” as a result of this. And let me know what comes out it..I love hearing about results.
Beyond the networking events! I have heard from so many of you that you “hate” networking. Well stop! Take this time, right now, to change your mindset around what “networking” means to you. It is about being your authentic self (effortlessly when you are in this space); knowing what you are passionate about (self-discovery on what really matters to you from the heart); creating and sharing your story (people connect to the story and the feelings you create for them). Make the effort to apply active listening skills and be present and in the moment It’s a mutually beneficial act of sharing and it cultivates a lasting relationship that creates opportunity to expand, grow and foster lasting and meaningful relationships that matter!
Here’s a great quote we used to open the show- “It isn’t just what you know and it isn’t just who you know- it’s actually who you know, who knows you and what you do for a living” Bob Burg
You can download this show at www.turningpointinstitute.com Episode #7
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