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Networking Success
Most of us do not come close to maximizing the potential of our network. We have a lot of people who know, but most of us don't get the value we could be getting from interacting with them, from sharing tips, referrals, ideas, recommendations, and opportunities for growth.
In this post I draw upon the content in an article by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon that appeared in Performance Xpress, an online publication of the International Society for Performance Improvement. Anne and Lynne have also written a book that goes into more detail. Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-how for Business And Care...
Baber and Waymon point out that our network can be classified into five different categories; the name of each category starts with the letter "A." The network categories can be represented as being in 5 concentric circles like this:
Suggestion: as you read this, grab a piece of paper and draw 5 concentric circles. Label each circle as shown above. Then write the names of the people you know that fit in the various "A" categories.
Acquaintances. In the outermost circle is the category called "Acquaintances." These are people you have met, but you are not likely to ever see them again. But you could see them again or contact them again through a mutual network partner. For example, you meet a real estate agent at a friend's wedding.
If you would like to enhance your network, think about various acquaintances you have. How might you contact them? How might you move them to an Associate level in your network?
Associates Associates are people who belong to some group that you also belong to. You see them repeatedly when you attending the group meeting. People that you see repeatedly at Professionals Guild (ProGuildSociald.com) parties, might be considered Associates. Think of other associations or organizations you belong to. Church groups, business networking groups, activity groups, and so on. There are probably many familiar faces in these groups. You see these people repeatedly, but these associates are not that valuable to you, because they are not Actors.
Baber and Waymon believe that it takes 6 to 8 meetings before a trust relationship develops between two people. As a result Associates are good candidates because we have a chance to see them regularly. Baber and Waymon explain that a big mistake most of us makes is that we don't make use of the chance we have to develop such relationships. Our Associates simply remain Associates and don't become Actors. So what is an Actor?
Actors An actor is someone who with whom we have exchanged a tip, a resource, or information. We have acted in their behalf or they have acted in our behalf in exchanging something of value. A good way to get things going is to take the first step ourselves. If we can offer a tip to someone they will likely want to return the favor. When this happens as Associate has moved into the Actor Circle of our network. The 2-way swap is crucial. Its the core of networking. Although, Actors in our network are good, Advocates are even better.
Adocates An advocate is someone who knows us very well and can tell a brief, but clear and detailed story about us and how we can help. Advocates know us quite well and trust us. They can pass on a recommendation without hesitation.
Allies At the deepest level in our network are allies. An Ally is a person who will go out of his or her way to seek out opportunities for us. An ally knows our goals well and will anything he or she can to help us reach them.
How can this knowledge about the various "A" categories help us? Clearly the more people we have at the deeper levels of our network the better. By thinking of various people and where they fit in, we can think of things we can do to move them to the next level.
Here's some food for thought:
If someone is just an Associate, what could we do to move them to an Actor?
If someone is already an Actor, how could we move them to an Advocate?
How can we get more Allies?
I don't have book by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon but am thinking of ordering the Kindle version of it. I got a Kindle recently and really like it. For more info about their book., you may want to see:
Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-how for Business And Care...
Please comment and add your ideas to this discussion..
Warmest regards,
Phil Seyer, creator of ProGuildSocial
Past President of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of NSPI,
The National Society for Performance Improvement, which
which later was renamed ISPI.
In this post I draw upon the content in an article by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon that appeared in Performance Xpress, an online publication of the International Society for Performance Improvement. Anne and Lynne have also written a book that goes into more detail. Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-how for Business And Care...
Baber and Waymon point out that our network can be classified into five different categories; the name of each category starts with the letter "A." The network categories can be represented as being in 5 concentric circles like this:
Suggestion: as you read this, grab a piece of paper and draw 5 concentric circles. Label each circle as shown above. Then write the names of the people you know that fit in the various "A" categories.
Acquaintances. In the outermost circle is the category called "Acquaintances." These are people you have met, but you are not likely to ever see them again. But you could see them again or contact them again through a mutual network partner. For example, you meet a real estate agent at a friend's wedding.
If you would like to enhance your network, think about various acquaintances you have. How might you contact them? How might you move them to an Associate level in your network?
Associates Associates are people who belong to some group that you also belong to. You see them repeatedly when you attending the group meeting. People that you see repeatedly at Professionals Guild (ProGuildSociald.com) parties, might be considered Associates. Think of other associations or organizations you belong to. Church groups, business networking groups, activity groups, and so on. There are probably many familiar faces in these groups. You see these people repeatedly, but these associates are not that valuable to you, because they are not Actors.
Baber and Waymon believe that it takes 6 to 8 meetings before a trust relationship develops between two people. As a result Associates are good candidates because we have a chance to see them regularly. Baber and Waymon explain that a big mistake most of us makes is that we don't make use of the chance we have to develop such relationships. Our Associates simply remain Associates and don't become Actors. So what is an Actor?
Actors An actor is someone who with whom we have exchanged a tip, a resource, or information. We have acted in their behalf or they have acted in our behalf in exchanging something of value. A good way to get things going is to take the first step ourselves. If we can offer a tip to someone they will likely want to return the favor. When this happens as Associate has moved into the Actor Circle of our network. The 2-way swap is crucial. Its the core of networking. Although, Actors in our network are good, Advocates are even better.
Adocates An advocate is someone who knows us very well and can tell a brief, but clear and detailed story about us and how we can help. Advocates know us quite well and trust us. They can pass on a recommendation without hesitation.
Allies At the deepest level in our network are allies. An Ally is a person who will go out of his or her way to seek out opportunities for us. An ally knows our goals well and will anything he or she can to help us reach them.
How can this knowledge about the various "A" categories help us? Clearly the more people we have at the deeper levels of our network the better. By thinking of various people and where they fit in, we can think of things we can do to move them to the next level.
Here's some food for thought:
If someone is just an Associate, what could we do to move them to an Actor?
If someone is already an Actor, how could we move them to an Advocate?
How can we get more Allies?
I don't have book by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon but am thinking of ordering the Kindle version of it. I got a Kindle recently and really like it. For more info about their book., you may want to see:
Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-how for Business And Care...
Please comment and add your ideas to this discussion..
Warmest regards,
Phil Seyer, creator of ProGuildSocial
Past President of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of NSPI,
The National Society for Performance Improvement, which
which later was renamed ISPI.
Tags: allies, associates, business, networking
© 2010 Created by Phil.
