We know that success is never a solo sport and emotional intelligence (EQ) accounts for more than 85% of overall success regardless of position, profession, industry, situation, scenario, or career aspirations. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the people in your life, and the relationships you cultivate, will make or break your success. Everyone understands that they need an active and connected network to find a new job. In fact, networking has a success rate of 75-80% and 90% for executives – no other strategy comes close. That answers the question, “What’s the most effective way to find a new job?” But what about all the other career-related questions? Spoiler alert…it’s the same answer. Your NETWORK!
Think about the most common questions our ON Point professional clients ask us every day. How do I get the promotion that was promised to me last year? How do I hire the top talent needed to build a high-performing team? How to I motivate the people in charge of processing the invoice faster? How do I expand my business and secure more clients and customers? How do I get the buy-in and support needed to enact a new initiative at my organization? How do I find the right entity to buy my company? How do I learn more about a new profession and/or industry that I may want to pursue? All these questions, and a million more, have the same answer. Your NETWORK!
However, even though we may understand intellectually and strategically that our network is critical to our success, it is still the one thing that falls by the wayside most often. We routinely remind our clients, and the entire ON Point community, to build and nurture your network before you need it. Don’t wait for that dire need to arise before you reach out to the key people in your life. Don’t wait to make a new year’s resolution to reconnect. And, don’t wait to proactively build new relationships with new people.
Follow the ON Point Action Plan so your network truly becomes your net worth.
7 Ways to Build a Successful Network
Make it a Priority – put connecting, reconnecting, referring, recommending, promoting & celebrating other people at the top of your to-do list for the right reasons
Develop a Hit List – time & energy are finite; identify a specific & strategic list of people, internally & externally, that are critical to your network & know “why”
Be Proactive – don’t wait; be the one to reach out & schedule a coffee date, catch up over Zoom, walk across the room at a conference & introduce yourself
Mark Your Calendar – create a 1:1 cadence with key executives or peers, set quarterly reminders for old colleagues & reach out for birthdays & work anniversaries
Use a Personal Touch – leading with an “ask” or favor can be off-putting; focus on critical
chit-chat about family, weekend events & what’s happening in their lives
Do it Digitally – nothing beats a face-to-face when it comes to connecting, but leveraging LinkedIn & other social media platforms is a networking game-changer
Create Professional Karma – what goes around comes around; celebrate, support, promote, sponsor, refer & recommend others & it will come back to you in abundance
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