Network not Net Worth
It's been a while since my last post. I was working at a fruit company and because of the level of secrecy there I had to go into radio silence. So get comfortable, pour yourself your favorite beverage as this is going to be a long one.
I pondered what to write about. The glut of free advertising for the manufacturer of Governor Palin's glasses? (Too political.) The impact on the Maple Leaf Foods brand from the recent crisis? (Been sufficiently covered.) The coolest new product coming from Apple? (The NDA I signed prevents that unless I want Steve Jobs to own my house.)
So I figured my most recent experience was best. I recently and unexpectedly became a free-agent. Such is the nature of corporate restructurings. I’m not the first nor sadly will I be the last. So for the first time in my career I was on the outside looking in. What to do?
Well, my instinct was to reach out to key contacts in my network and start looking for a new gig immediately. The response from my network was nothing short of humbling. Candidly, in one private moment with a mentor I got so verklempt thinking about how others were willing to step up to the plate and help.
Which is why I can't for the love of me figure it out. Why don't people put more time and energy into their networks? I've noticed that many folks (both client-side and agency-side are culpable) who only reach out to others when they want or need something. To me that is rather short-sighted and selfish.
My view is that if you are in a position to help others then do it, whether they ask you or not, but especially if they do. To claim you are too busy is nonsense. And you should help without any expectations of quid pro quo. Just do something and pay it forward. A couple of good friends are a small example of the many I've been blessed to know who practice this philosophy and show that it will come back to you in spades.
We are in an era where time is a precious commodity but one must make the time for managing and maintaining relationships. So what if you have 500 connections on Linkedin, 700 friends on Facebook and 1000 people following you on Twitter? If you haven't connected with the majority of those people in a meaningful manner at least once in the past 6 months those numbers mean squat.
Ask yourself this question. "If I became unemployed today, who could I reach out to without it seeming awkward or an imposition?" If you can't count on more than one hand then you have some work to do. Starting right now, capiche?
You do not need to be a professional networker or marketer. All it takes is a quick email for a: "{Insert name} how is it going? Long time no speak. I thought we should touch base.” Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Please remember to remove the {insert name} tag.
Networking is like farming. It's painstaking work that requires honesty, sincerety, time and energy. I'm not going to sugar-coat it but if you put in the effort it will pay off when you need to draw upon your crops. And no, I'm not referring to my contacts as plants or vegetation.
Some people believe that their net worth is the key indicator of their self value or personal brand when their network is what they should really focus on. Take care of one and the other will come in due course. Question is: Which are you focused on?
