Networking
You have 250 Facebook contacts and 300 LinkedIn contacts. Is that a great network? Well, having the details of friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances can be useful (you never know, one of them could pass a job opportunity your way) but much more important is the building up of networks with those that can positively influence your career both within your organization and beyond it.
Internal network
It's all very well and good to have regular catch-ups with senior members of staff dotted around the company. Indeed it's great to hear and learn more about what's going on. However, for a relationship to become stronger, more fruitful and easier to maintain there are certain aspects of the relationship which you should focus your attention on:
• Is it a symbiotic relationship? Are you simply obtaining a down-load of information from your colleague or are you ensuring that the catch– ups you have are beneficial to them as well? If relationships appear to die, and the other party does not appear to make an effort to propose or find time for the two of you to meet, it's unlikely to be a personal issue but may reflect the fact that the meeting is not perceived as added value by the other party. However, if you wish to continue the relationship, as it is added value from your career advancement point of view, consider the following:
o Prepare an agenda before each time you meet (even if you are meeting informally over a coffee). You don't have to send through the agenda in advance but rather make sure that there are items listed on it which will be of interest to the other party.
o Think about the frequency of your catch-ups. If you meet up very regularly you may run out of interesting things to say and debate. Make the meetings less frequent but more powerful.
o Follow-up on action points raised by your contact. If they see you as someone who can get things done they'll be more willing to meet up again. But there is a balance. Don't become a gofer; that is where you end up with a list of action points after each meeting that suits their agenda but adds little to yours. The relationship should be balanced.
o Follow up and thank them for their time setting out why the catch-up was useful and what issues, ideas or points you are going to take on, along with what you believe they have agreed to think through or act upon.
Water cooler moments. I've placed this under the section 'Internal Networks' but water cooler moments in reality serve a number of uses (beyond getting refreshed). But let's deal with the netw