3 ways to make networking work
Jory Des Jardins from BlogHer had a great post yesterday on how to avoid bad e-networking, based on a recent experience of hers. The post resonated with me since one of my focus areas is educating our users on how to network effectively. Here are three things to keep in mind when using LinkedIn:
Set your own guidelines: A LinkedIn invitation means "I will potentially help you with my network." It's an offer of value, so be judicious about who you extend them to. Here's my own personal criteria when it comes to sending or accepting invitations: coworkers (since I want all my coworkers to be as successful as possible), friends (ditto), people that I have reciprocal business relationships with (i.e. business partners), people whom I collaborate with as part of my job (in my case, the media), people I've worked with and trust, and anyone else who I respect and/or want to help out. When in doubt, I hit the “Decide Later” button to give the relationship more time to develop.
Be thoughtful: Connecting means you're agreeing to collaborate. It's a gesture of trust and means that you can now ask me to introduce you to someone I know. This doesn't mean I will, but it means I will seriously consider it. A good rule of thumb for making introductions: "Is this a credible opportunity for both people? Will they thank me even if the specific business connection doesn't happen?"
Karma works: Give before you ask and build your network before you need it. The worst time to network is when you need something. If you find ways to help other people achieve their goals the laws of reciprocity will generally work in your favor. People who have zillions of connections and pass along requests indiscriminately don't understand how to use LinkedIn as a trusted tool. LinkedIn's designed to help you build upon existing relationships and leverage the trust that you have with these people to reach others.
That's been my experience thus far. Feel free to share your LinkedIn experience in comments below.
Patrick Lee May 17, 2007
Well said, Kay. I agree that networking is something to work on before it's needed. I also echo your critique of so-called open networkers. Though I have a couple in my network, I believe in only adding people I actually know.
Jenn Brown May 17, 2007
Very true. I've made a point of only adding people I know well enough to be able to describe them to someone else in some fashion. I know LinkedIn has stressed the "trust" factor, which is what drew me to it in the first place.
The more my network grows, the more important it is for me to make sure that I actually have that 'first level' connection with those in my contacts list on LinkedIn. No one needs to link up with the entire world... and I'm still connected with people on other levels, not everyone is going to close to me, in the virtual world or otherwise.
Eric Mariacher May 18, 2007
To confirm what you wrote Kay, I also blogged on it at http://eric-mariacher.blogspot.com/2006/05/my-2-cents-about-online-business.html
My 1st advice is "GROW YOUR NETWORK WHILE YOU DON'T NEED IT!"
Sheilah Etheridge May 18, 2007
Hi Kay,
Great post and wonderful advice to the members. I believe the key to good networking is getting to know the people you are connected to. And of course never ask for more than you are willing to give. It takes a great deal of energy to build a strong network, but the rewards are worth every second invested.
Although I do connect to people I do not know, I work hard to get to know them and they do likewise. But I still feel it is important to read the profile and any Q&A's they post before deciding on connecting.
Keep up the wonderful work Kay, you're a Godsend to this site.
Sheilah
Charlene Jun 12, 2007
Hello St. Louis, MO. any bloggers out there?
Jim Turner Jun 12, 2007
Kay,
Your comments/guidelines are right on target. When I first joined LI, I had no idea how to grow my network. I think I've finally gotten it down. After running out of folks that I personally know, I started searching for folks in my field and began reaching out to them by telling them that I was willing to help them achieve their goals. As a result my acceptance rate is well above 80%. My network has grown from the mid-thirties to now at 81 in just over a couple of weeks.
Jim Turner
Jeff Scurry Jun 25, 2007
Karma is the key. I think following Jeffrey Gitomer's advice of, "Give value first," is the key. Sometimes you have to get before you can give - like interviewing folks for stories - but, as a general rule, if you can give first all is well!
GlavMed Nov 2, 2007
Cool post! I'm add to bookmark... Autor what is youre name?
Realy best blog...
Olivier Ngandu Jan 20, 2008
Thank you so much, this is an excellent post Key,
Please feed us regularily with your stimulating thoughts and we'll feed the world with these Linked In emerging underlying principle of ethics based on eternal values of reciprocity ;-)
The third point (on Karma) is obviously the most controversial if you have to articulate it properly with the first (Guidelines):
When you are looking to actively enlarge your network at an accelerated pace without harming the quality of your network, you definitely need to go beyond the people you know already. It makes common sense. Any kind of dogmatism in our approach to break this paradox will certainly prevent us to progress. Good manners and sensitivity are the answer. They create an atmostphere conducive to mutual understanding, which in turn enable the karma to beam and operate for the parties involved.
We have to keep in mind that Quality and Quantity are interpendant. The actual goal of a sensible networking activity is to optimize this equation and not to maximize one term at the expense of the other. Quality will come out of Quantity and vice-versa.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Olivier
Ann Shea Feb 29, 2008
Regarding Karma and networking:
I'm a big fan of many social networking sites...my favorites are Facebook for connecting with family and friends who are not in my immediate weekly travel zone and Linked In for business and networking contacts.
I find the internet fascinating for a portal to a wider world, and I have a few contacts on the site whom I've never met but respect for their knowledge and accomplishments. Locally, many of the people I invite are people I genuinely want to help grow their business or share my positive experiences with for a wider audience.
For someone who’s locally committed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners succeed, Linked In has so many possibilities. It could be individualized, personal yellow pages of local service providers you’ve used, trust, and want to promote, including perhaps a local chiropractor or print shop. Linked In can also serve as a sort of virtual reference list for job seekers, perhaps more real and current than any brief list of names and numbers.
Another great application of Linked In is a way to reconnect with intellectual contacts like university profs and colleagues for those who went to college prior to the Facebook phenom.
My original thought on the Karma thing is that if you are truly interested in others, they will be interested in you. Way back in 1936, Dale Carnegie had a best seller based on the basic tenets of the Golden Rule...found your relationships on a sincere interest in others. For me, it's really about the joy of connecting, not what I expect for myself...It is better to travel well than to arrive.
(Buddha)