Part One
I contacted Networking Guru, Michael Hughes, in Ottawa, Canada. I asked him a few questions about networking hoping to gain more insights about the dos and don'ts of networking. You might be interested in reading his answers. His response was so good that I divided this interview into three portions to make it easier to read and digest.
Enjoy part one of this interview with Networking Guru, Michael Hughes
------------------
Networking Question
Why do so many smart people fail at networking?
Answer from Networking Guru, Michael Hughes
It’s an accepted fact that success, in business and in life, is directly related to the quality and diversity of the relationships we have, or acquire. Relationships, by their very nature, require trust, time and investment. Smart people know this, often intuitively. But we live in a world that mistakenly promotes instant gratification: instant soup, instant credit, instant results. It’s an almost-overwhelming message that, for the most part, goes against both the research of experts and the reality of life. Many professionals, even the smart ones, fall prey to this fallacy when it comes to networking.
The misguided mindset that simply showing up at an event, connecting with a few people and passing around business cards will cause the phone to ring or deliver instant results is one of the most common misconceptions about networking. When was the last time you did business with someone after a thirty-second to three-minute conversation? It just doesn’t happen. Yet invariably, sales and business professionals, event the smart ones, succumb to the premise that networking is a tell-and-sell “instant-results” activity.
Networking cannot, and will not, produce instant results. That is not its purpose, nor should it be the premise. Its primary purpose is to act as a powerful ignition point for a relationship. Its premise is to create a starting point, a foundation if you will, that can, and does, accelerate the relationship-building process.
The smartest (and most successful) people long ago realized this fact and have the ability to leverage the power and potential of a networking conversation, no matter how brief. They focus primarily on using these interactions to create a basis for future contact, taking responsibility for fostering on-going contact as they explore mutual value areas.
Accepting networking as a delayed-gratification activity is the first step to accelerating relationship-building and increasing results. But of course, as a smart person, you already knew this, right?
Michael Hughes Bio
Known as Canada’s Networking Guru, Michael J. Hughes specializes in helping business professionals increase sales, build their business or advance their career by utilizing networking as business strategy. Get more details on his programs and services by visiting http://www.networkingforresults.com/.
-------------------------
That was only the first question. If you are interesting in improving your networking then watch for the next installments from this interview with networking guru, Michael Hughes.
George Torok
Order The Guide to Networking Success
Read How Networking Can Save Your Life
No comments:
Post a Comment