Your leadership network

Your Leadership Network:
The Importance of Building and Staying
Connected

Objectives
• Your leadership network—What is it
and why is it important?
• How to stay connected as you grow
and lead
• Who is already in your universal
network and how to expand
• Effective networking makes leaders
more effective
• Best practices of effective leaders
who utilize this skill
© 2013, Nierenberg Consulting Group, LLC./www.nierenberggroup.com

2

Creating Connections
• The opposite of networking is not
working.
• Every time you meet someone you
have the opportunity to learn, give
and be a resource.

“It’s about giving first.”

3

Polling Question
Do you currently network in your
organization?
A. Yes
B. No
C. I am unsure by what you mean.


4

What is “Networking”?


5

What is “Networking”?
• Networking is a misunderstood word
– Leadership is the art of accomplishing
goals through and with other people.

• Networking is a state of mind— 24/7
• Networking can be…
– Strategic and Structured
– Serendipitous
– Subconscious


6

Networking: a Leadership
Skill?
• Network to:

– get your work done efficiently and
effectively.
– enhance your personal and professional
development.
– invest in future leverage.
– help others grow.


7

Polling Question
Do you think “Networking” is a
leadership skill?
A. I agree
B. I disagree
C. I don’t know


8

Critical Networking Skills for
Leaders
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Understand and leverage personal style
Strategically plan your activities
Be systematic in your planning
Relationships develop over time
Effectively engage others
Showcase your expertise
Assess opportunities
Always give value


9

3 Types of Networking
Effective Leaders Employ
• Operational

– Building internal relationships

• Personal
– Building external relationships which can
contribute to knowledge and best practices

• Strategic
– Building internal and external relationships
oriented toward future priorities
– “Invest in the time to build relationships.”


10

Who is Already in Your
Network?
Colleagues
Past
Colleagues

Relatives

Non
Competitor

Friends

Networking
Member
Orgs.

Neighbors

WHO
ELSE?

Alumni
Professional
Assoc.


11

Expanding Your Network
•
•
•
•
•

Clients - internal and external
Colleagues
Friends - professional and personal
External business partners
People you meet by chance that
turns into opportunity


12

Creating Opportunities


13

Creating Opportunities
Where do you go to create opportunities?
• Internally within your organization

• Industry, association and professional
meetings
• Social and charity
• Educational
• Where else?


14

Polling Question
Why is it important to continually stay
connected as a leader in your
organization?
A. Create and build alliances
B. It will help me grow throughout the
organization
C. It is not a priority. I do my
work and don’t have time
to network.

15

Daily Networking
Strategies


16

Daily Networking
Strategies

1. 24/7 Awareness - stay open to meeting
new people and nurturing your current
networks.
2. Listen and learn strategically with
every encounter.
3. Build continual advocacy and synergy.
Be proactive and get involved.
4. Follow up with a goal and action plan;
differentiate yourself.
5. Find creative ways to stay on people’s
radar screen; stay memorable.

17

Put It in the Information
Bank


18

Bank
Business Information (modify for your use)
•

Promotions/business opportunities

•

Previous work experience and business background

•

How you met

•

What business issues are they working on now?

•

Who you refer them to and why?

•

His or her immediate business objective

•

His or her career objective

•

Did you ask for their advice? Information given?

•

How you’ve handled challenges in the past

•

What contributions are they most proud of?

•

How they receive information & news: online, print, TV/radio

•

Preferred method of communication: email/phone/text/other

•

Anniversary of length of service at their business

•

What ‘motivates’ them

•

What achievement makes them proud

•

Professional associations

19

Bank
Personal Information (modify for your use)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Activities in community
Birthday
Background: birth state or country
Education: HS, College, Fraternity or Sorority, Degrees
Hobbies/interests
Favorite foods/restaurants
Vacation interests
Spouse: name, occupation and interests
Children: ages, names, schools, interests
Pets
Key extended family members
Special holidays
What else?

20

Takeaways From Every
Encounter

• Learning something new.
• Give away a piece of information or
advice.
• Take something away.
• Ask how you can help him/her.
• Thank them.
• Implement your follow-up strategy.


21

N.E.T.W.O.R.K.I.N.G
Reminders
N
E
T
W
O
R
K
I
N
G

Names, Needs Nurture
Engage, Evolution, Enlist, Eyes & Ears
Trust, Time
Work, Write
Opportunity, Open Questions, Organization
Respect, Rapport, Resilience
Knowledge, Kindness
Initiative, Interest
(NO)
Give, Goals

22

Two Simple Rules of
Networking
1. I try to meet at least one new
person in my area of interest every
month, or significantly deepen an
existing relationship.
2. I do something nice for someone in
my network every week.
—Sally Kracheck (Owner 85 Broads)


23

Golden Circle of Strategic
Networking


24

52 Networking Tips
1.

Give yourself permission to network and expand
your network.

2.

Create a list of “opening lines” to use when meeting
someone new. Use open-ended questions to
continue dialogue.

3.

Develop a 20-second introduction about yourself.
Practice it until it becomes spontaneous and natural.
Create several for different audiences.

4.

Do your research before attending an
event or meeting.

5.

Create a list of “get to know you” questions.” These
will further the discussion with the person you
connected with.


25

52 Networking Tips
6.

Keep a journal of “small talk” topics. These are about
current events, industry trends, and community topics.

7.

Set a goal for every event or meeting you attend. A good goal is
to meet two new people, make a connection, and send a follow
up note, call, or e-mail.

8.

Smile when meeting people, entering a room, or talking
on the phone. A smile is the first step in building rapport.
Smile for 10 seconds when you enter a room.

9.

Look the other person in the eye. Eye contact says you are
focused on the conversation and interested in what the
other person is saying.

10. Listen with care. Be aware of what the other person is saying
instead of thinking about what you will say next. You will
remember much more about the person and
the conversation. *Listen has the word ‘silent’ in it—silence your
mind to focus and listen.

26

52 Networking Tips
11. Learn to remember names. This skill will set you apart from
many. Listen carefully when the name is said, repeat it in the conversation,
and create a mind picture that will help you associate the person with the
name.

12. Give compliments. Make a goal to look for positive
attributes and give five compliments a day. Make sure they are sincere.
13. Make a list of the key people in your industry or profession that you
would like to meet. Determine what organizations, places and people
you know that you could find to help you connect.
14. Re-connect with four people a week. This week call a client or prospect
you have not been in touch with for a while, a former business colleague,
and a friend you haven’t spoken with for several months.
15. Follow your interests. Remember, you need like-minded people in your
network.


27

52 Networking Tips
16.

Join a networking group and attend the meetings. Practice techniques
like your 20-second introduction and keep expanding your circle.

17.

Research and join an industry or professional group. Go to two
meetings, meet two people, and set up two follow-up meetings
before you make your decision to join.

18.

Take a class, join a gym, or take a special interest vacation.
Remember, you want to have like-minded people in your network.

19.

Volunteer, write an article, or join a committee in your organization.
Becoming known helps you meet people and develop relationships
faster and more profitably than just attending meetings. Be involved.

20.

Send three hand-written notes a day. Send these to people in your
network to say thank you, congratulations, send an article of
interest, extend an invitation, or just to keep in touch. Use ‘found
time” during the day and make these short and simple. Carry note cards
and stamps with you. It is your “46 cent investment plan.” Or use my high
tech-high touch method www.appreciationpower.com.

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52 Networking Tips
21.

Write an article, or newsletter to send to your contacts. This
promotes your business and helps you keep in touch with your
contacts and stay on their radar.

22.

Send gifts. Remember those who help you, or just remember a special
occasion for those in your network. Develop a list of reliable vendors of
unique gift items for these occasions. Think of the person and send a gift
that was picked for them and well thought out.

23.

Use premiums that will remind recipients of your name and
business. Look for useful items that will be appreciated and that
will keep your name in front of others.

24.

Follow-up within twenty-four hours of a meeting to say, “nice to
meet you,” “thanks for your time and consideration,” and to set
another meeting.

25.

Connect within two weeks to suggest another meeting. Make it
happen and set the date.


29

52 Networking Tips
26. Send materials or information on time or
sooner than promised.
27. Thank your contact for a referral and let them
know what happened. Keep them in the loop.
28. Become a resource for others. Give generously
of your time and expertise.

29. Look for unique and creative ways to have
“face” time with others.
30. Remember birthdays and send cards. Also
incorporate ‘any special’ date to remember
in this list.

30

52 Networking Tips
31.

Develop a system to keep in touch with everyone in your
network on a regular basis. As you list grows, divide it
into categories and have a contact plan for each category.

32.

Review your list on a regular basis and make sure it is revised
and updated.

33.

Develop and maintain a database of your contacts. Your system
should work for you; you should not have to work for your system.

34.

Collect information about each contact besides the basic
contact information. This includes interests, family, awards
and promotions, special dates, how you met, and other pertinent
facts. (see information bank)

35.

Determine the way each contact prefers to communicate: phone,
e-mail, social media, in person. Note this on their database
record.


31

52 Networking Tips
36. Make and keep notes about each meeting with each
contact. Refer to these when following up or before the
next contact with them.

37. Enter information about a new contact and follow up
within 24 hours of your meeting.
38. Answer your phone and e-mail messages within 24 hours.
39. If you are out of touch for a period, let people know with
a message on your phone and an automatic e-mail
message. Better yet—check anyway to be the utmost
professional.

40. Everyday, send an e-mail to someone in your networking
universe that you have not heard from recently.

32

52 Networking Tips
41. Once a week, go through your contact list and call
three people just to say “hello.”
42. Once a month, have lunch with a friend, colleague,
or client you have not seen for a while.
43. At a company function, set a goal to sit next to
someone new and get to know them. Also plan
to follow-up.

44. When making telephone calls feels uncomfortable,
use a script and practice until it comes naturally.
45. Begin with a compliment. This is a wonderful way to
start a conversation when you may not know what to
say to break the ice. Be sincere.


33

52 Networking Tips
46. When a conversation gets off track, use a “bridge”
such as, “that reminds me of…” to get back to your topic.
47. Attend meetings with a purpose. Have a specific goal in
mind when attending an industry event or meeting. It
could be to meet the speaker, or reconnect with a new
client or prospect.
48. Set a time limit. Give yourself permission to achieve your
goals and then you can leave.
49. Send articles and interesting research electronically to
keep in touch.
50. Give yourself a reward for your continued networking
practice—attending an event, or retaining a new client as a
result of a networking contact.


34

52 Networking Tips
51. Continually build your social media
status and networking- stay connected
online.

52. Keep the circle of strategic networking
in mind: learn, give, ask, help,
thank, follow-up


35

Takeaways
What will you do to continually build
your everyday networking and
leadership skills?
1.
2.
3.


36

THANK YOU!


37

Contact Information
Andrea R. Nierenberg
Nierenberg Consulting Group
420 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
http://www.NierenbergGroup.com
andrea@nierenberggroup.com
Office: 212.980.0930
Mobile: 917.626.8494
Blog: http://www.TheNierenBlog.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/anierenberg
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nierenberg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NierenbergGroup/191608767531309

"Showing Appreciation to Your Clients and Connections is
Always in Style" click here to learn more:
http://www.Appreciationpower.com

38

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