Building a network - Part 1

Last week I was asked to do a presentation to a group of job seekers. I chose "building a network" because it is the foundation blocks for our adult life. What follows is the presentation notes for this occasion.

.......Please stand up and introduce yourself to another person in the room. Preferably someone you do not know. I realize that may be a little hard but go with it anyway. Now say your name and where it is you come from. The other person please do the same. Here it is important to listen carefully because later on you will need this information. (Pause for this to take place).
By the way that was NOT building a network. Nor is introducing yourself to only people you think that may help you get what you want, be it a job or anything else. They will see right through you.
Let me say again building a network is not smoozing, giving out business cards at a cocktail party or chatting people up.
Ok . Why build a network? No body is managing your career. You are managing your own career. This means you need strategies to ensure you own well being.
There are only 3 skills although I prefer to call them rules to building your network. Each of them I will explain more fully later.

Build volume indiscriminately
Give Give Give
Stay in touch
Each of these points require you to be an ant. An ant as in Aesops fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper. Where the ant worked away each day preparing for the winter, but the grasshopper just lazed around. But when winter came the grasshopper hit upon “hard times”. So the lesson here is to build it now to use it later.

Part 2 will follow next blog and will explain points 1 - 3 in more detail

Managing your career

Don't fear the Whitewater - Part 2


Following on from Part 1 this piece will cover some of the do's in your whitewater/career adventure.
Firstly think of your career as a river with a start and an end. Along the way you will encounter many "whitewater rapids. Quite often this is just after the calmest stretch of the river. And so it is with a career, just when things seem to be going well and calm there appears whitewater just around the bend. Unfortunately we are all to well aware of this in the current financial crisis that is gripping the World.
So never settle down, it is permanent whitewater. But impose your own order. Manage your career and its outcomes.
How? Take a lesson from a kayaker. Just as he/she realises that there is white water ahead they become excited at the prospect of the challenge. This after all is the very reason why they chose this sport and this river.
Then just before entering the swirling waters she/he backs off and sets some goals for nagivating through. Well aware in the knowledge that there is danger ahead that can hurt or even kill them.
Now he/she is ready they have selected their course, envisage the rythmn and pace they need to use to be sucessful. Secure in their ability to ride out the rushing waters. Trusting in the techniques they have practiced in "self righting" if they capsize.
As they emerge from the foaming water they scream out "WOW that was fun, Lets do it again. Fun Fun!

1. Protect your career, improve your resilence and seize the opportunities in turbulant times
2. Take charge, learn to pace yourself, set your own course and lead others in adhoc teams
3. Ride the rapids and rediscover play and adventure in todays demanding work environment
4. Form strategies for communicating above the roar

Good luck

Next we discuss, "Building a network"

Business Talk Consulting

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Managing your career

Don't fear the Whitewater - Part 1

The thought of being a kayaker taking on the permanent whitewater rapids is such a fantastic metaphor for what a person faces in their career today. As an example up until a decade ago the way a person's career could be viewed is that of, taking on whitewater in an inflatable raft. An adventure I have experienced 3 times.Typically seated in the raft will be 5 other people and at the back will be the boatman, the captain, controller, what you will. He managed your adventure and determined the outcomes. Much like "the Company" managed your career.

But now you are in a kayak, you need to be in control, make decisions and be responsible for your own career. Why? When companies through globalisation and other occurences entered permanent whitewater rapids employees needed to learn how to manoeuvre their career in such turbulence.

Change is the new status quo and success at work will require agility, talent and the ability to learn from .....rather than fear, failure.

This topic is so important and this blog has gotten a little long. So I have broken it into two parts. Continuing on next blog will be, what you can do to survive the whitewater.

Get a FREE weekly tip on Managing you Career by joining the Whitewater kayakers (link top right of page).

Further reading: Your Job Survival Guide, a Manual for Thriving in Change. by Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther.

Global network of leaders changing the World through business

This is the mission statement of NetImpact http://www.netimpact.org/.
In a slight departure from my more practical business ideas. This week I will discuss Net Impact and how this non profit organisation is addressing some of the issues that represent the most important topic in the World today. Human impact on the environment. This is despite our immediate concerns about the world felt financial crisis. There is no need here to go on about how interconnected human activities and Mother Earth are. I am sure we all realise no resources equals no business.

Net Impact is a global organisation founded in 1993 by 16 MBA interns who started a network to put their business skills to use to both make money and achieve positive social good. Spanning six continents with a membership of over 10,000 members. These members include undergraduate students, graduates and professionals.

Using programs and initiatives such as Campus Greening, Green Challenge and Impact at Work, NetImpact is helping leaders influence corporate social responsilbility, social entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability.

When I found out about NetImpact I was so impressed by what I read that I contacted them and spoke about forming a Chapter in my city of Jönköping Sweden. At the moment I am building a initial leadership team.

Therefore I recommend to you to visit NetImpact's web site.
www.netimpact.org
Another link on environmental concerns
Al Gore's speech at TED http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html

Have you sold something for a fraction of what it cost you?

Last week I visited a successful Swedish SME owner here in Jönköping, with an annual turnover of more than 50 million SEK. Sitting around the company's Boardroom table we discussed many business topics and he told me about what lead him to start his own company. In his case like many of his generation he was a employee in the industry for more than 30 years and then he decided to set up his own enterprise. In today´s world many entrepreneurs set up companies whilst at or just after leaving university.

It was then I asked him a very provocative question. "In his business today is there an opportunity or a way of doing something different?"

His answer was as intriguing as it was fulled with wisdom.
As he gazed around the room, looking at the multitude of items used by the company, computers, furniture, coffee machines etc. He mentioned the large amount of inventory in the warehouse. He told of how much energy, time and cost it had taken him and others to set up the company's infrastructure. "TODAY I would purchase an existing company where you can often buy the infrastructure at a highly discounted price." Perhaps the owner has wants to retire or possibly has become a victim of a business down turn, see link below.

My mind was racing ahead, you mean a person could buy a pie making business, but they want to set up a computer service company. Yes, you are a business owner with the emphasis on managing processes. You could possibly hire a pie making expert for the day to day production. The advantages are you have cash flow from day one, you have brought the infrastructure at a fraction of the real cost, and you have those most valuable commodities, time and energy. Remember you can do a Nokia and transform your business in time to whatever service or product you want. Nokia started life as a gum boot manufacturer. A far cry from the high technology world of mobile phones.

In summary

1. Buy existing company infrastructure at discount price


2. Cash flow from day one


3. Maximize your time, energy and money on ensuring company strategies are right ( not on the colour of the coffee room chairs)

So budding entrepreneurs, whilst there are many ways to set up an enterprise, this is one that is seldom considered.

Thanks go to Rolf

Link on business downturn

http://www.thelocal.se/15498/20081106/

Build a relationship with a least 3 recruiters

Recently I was listening to a podcast by the guys at Manager Tools, Mark Horstman and Michael Auzenne.
The message was so strong that it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Build a relationship with a least three recruiters. (this means people not companies, you build relationships with humans).
When: NOW. This is regardless of whether you have a job or not. Yes this means even if you are happily employed.
Remember this was before the financial crisis, which has shown just how vulnerable any career can be.
Steps to take

1. Don't wait, start now
2. Get your resume current
3. Start taking and returning recruiter calls
4. Do research about possible recruiting firms
5. Ask among your network for recommendations
6. Call recruiter and introduce yourself
7. Provide your resume
8. Stop your resume being "broadcasted"
9. Follow up, stay in touch every 3 months

Link to listen to complete podcast
http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/10/contacting-recruiters/