“It is unfortunate when people allow themselves to get like concrete, all mixed up and permanently set.”
–John Maxwell
Typically, when I speak to an individual or group about networking, I discuss its strategies and benefits that can lead to greater career opportunities and professional growth. In my slideshare, “The Networking Payday,” I outline several unique strategies anyone can adopt to boost career success, and have received great feedback from those who need to learn how to leverage their relationships.
However, a recent interaction with a business leader made me wonder why aren’t leaders leveraging this powerful strategy for the benefit of the organization?
Think about it. You have an employee who sits on boards, volunteers locally or even nationally, attends association or network meetings, and has the ability to connect with just about anyone, anywhere, anytime, and yet the employee is the only one who benefits? Why?
I recall being questioned by an immediate manager about the benefit of my community service activities that required periodic stints away from the office during normal work hours. (I served on community boards and was involved as a volunteer, attending various events.) I actually had to make a business case for why “I” needed to get involved in these various networks.
In defense of that manager, one whose behavior was to get up, go to work, drive home, eat, go to bed, get up, go to work, the thought of fitting in something beyond work during or even after work hours was ridiculous. Transversely, I actually believe he had the right to make sure these activities would not interfere with my daily responsibilities. So, I found his question an opportunity to educate and enlighten.
My business case had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the benefits to the organization. When we recognize that employees are extensions of our brands, we shower them with t-shirts, bumper stickers, hats, pens, notepads, so others will recognize and associate positive feelings for our organization. That’s great, but employees aren’t just extensions of our brands, our employees are also our research agents.
The business case I prepared was simple, my networking experiences:
- It boosts the visibility of the organization’s brand in a positive manner and in areas traditional marketing might have no reach.
- It adds personality and gives life to the brand—something people can identify with and trust.
- It exposes us to more business prospects and potential customers or clients.
- Because of “do not call” registries, spam blockers, reduced reliance on direct mail, and the high cost of televised advertising, getting in front of our potential customer can be costly. My presence cuts to he chase.
- I can provide timely and well-placed literature or promotional items for attendees to further leverage the exposure.
- We can use our facilities for greater exposure and word of mouth marketing.
- I can build a professional mastermind of other professionals where we can exchange ideas that might benefit us from a business perspective down the line.
The same set of eyes and ears we hire to achieve results are the same set of eyes and ears that have the potential to collect valuable information about what’s happening beyond the walls of the organization. Leaders can leverage the volunteer and networking experiences of their employees by doing simple things:
- Ask them to share what they’ve learned as a result of their volunteer engagement or conference experience.
- Get the employee to think about how the organization might apply experiences and insights in unique, different or better ways.
- Help the employee identify specific community events and activities that will give both the employee and the organization visibility.
- Help the employee forge mentor relationships that can boost their career and improve their performance.
- Encourage the development of industry or job related masterminds to share and exchange information (ensuring it doesn’t violate any anti-trust laws or other confidentiality, non-disclosure agreements or policies).
Nothing pains me more than to see a room full of business leaders and professionals attending a conference or networking event or sitting on boards and committees who get all shaken up and permanently set because they can do nothing with the information they’ve just received. No one back at the office will ask, and they won’t tell.
An organization with leaders that help employees unload and debrief following conference, networking events, or volunteer engagement opportunities is an organization positioned for success.
