Saturday 5 May 2012

NETWORKING IN 7 SIMPLE STEPS


The ability to properly position one’s self is vital to the attainment of our career goals and objective. The height a person can attain in life does not only involve what you know but more importantly who you know. Your ability to network and stay connected to your network has been proven to be a vital tool to the fulfilment of a persons career objective alongside the numerous benefit that come alongside networking.
In this article, I shall be discussing the seven steps to successful networking.

1. INTERDEPENDENCE. You need to realise that there is need to be connected to one another. Man is a dependent being the earlier you realise this the more important the networking process will be to you.

2. PERSEVERANCE. Good things take time to come to fruition. Therefore, it is important to start building the network before you need them.

3. RECIPROCITY. Networking is not a one-sided affair. You should always think about what you can bring the table that the other party needs. No matter how small just make sure you are not the only person benefitting from the relationship, but the other party has the opportunity to do the same.

4. SIMILARITY. It is important to befriend not only those with which you have the same similarities but also those with which on the surface you seem not to share anything in common. Taking the time to step out of your comfort zone may greatly help your networking.

5. PROXIMITY. It is important to stay in proximity to your contacts either via any of the communication channels available to us in the modern era. Getting actively involved with you network is a good way to maintain nearness.

6. CROSS-FERTILIZATION. Successful leaders are able to influence contacts from one network to another. Think about the people in your contact list. Who needs attention? Who is owed favours or needs your help? Always think of your network as a lifetime journey, rather than a onetime effort.

7. SOCIABILITY. In order to network successfully it is important to find venues and situations in which you actually enjoy networking. Meeting new people can be fun, as long as you find out what works best for you and don’t approach it as a chore.

Take the time to lead a well rounded life, start making the most of your contacts because these relationships are a valuable source of energy and self-confidence.


By: Gozie O. Obinwa, MBA 10


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