It’s true. You might accidentally bump into the very person you need to know. And, I suppose, it’s possible that you’ll run across somebody who has a good idea about the best way to choose participants for your new leadership development program. Maybe... Could be... I hope... Sit tight and wait...
Why not make things happen? Why not be a magnet for the very ideas and people you need to meet?
Indeed, Google designed its new company headquarters to encourage “casual collisions” in the hope that people will come together in new ways for informal conversations that spark innovative ideas. But you don’t have to wait for your company to install comfortable sofas or strategically placed coffee stations.
Here are three ways to find the best resources and attract good ideas.
Give Up Hoping
Stop “hoping” you’ll bump into the right person or happen onto a good idea. Hope is not a networking strategy. Making a list of what and who you’re looking for is, though. For example, Nancy knew that she was looking for ideas about how to reinforce skills outside the classroom. Once it was on her list, valuable answers were only a conversation or two away.
In another example, Carlo’s boss asks him to evaluate several different delivery systems for some online training the company was rolling out. He had already established a deep and wide network of people whom he trusted—and who trusted him—inside and outside the company. A few phone calls and lunch conversations later, he was well on his way to supplying field-tested input that would guide his boss’s decision.
Give Up Talking
Get rid of such conversations as:
“How are you?”
“Not bad. How are you?”
“Same old thing. Been working really hard..."
“Me too...“
“Great weather we’re having...”
“Yeah, but rain’s coming tomorrow.”
Instead, opt for real conversation. How do you get out of “Ho hum!” routines about the weather? Be seriously curious. Ask good questions. Do your brain a favor and have a few questions waiting on the tip of your tongue. Jo likes to ask people, “What have you been working on lately?” It’s her way of staying in touch with her colleagues’ latest projects.
Case in point: Marina, who was writing a business case for expanding her company’s Diversity Groups, asked John, “What kind of metrics have you found are best for measuring the outcomes of your diversity programs?” That conversation led to many others and the two eventually teamed up to present a session on that topic at the national convention.
Another example comes from David, who was excited to be part of the team that was planning the design of the new training rooms at his company. At the monthly luncheon of his ATD Chapter, he posed this question to the whole table: “What have been the best and worst features of all the training rooms you’ve ever used?”
Good questions energize conversations and build relationships. Remember, you will be known by the questions you ask.
Give Up Everything
Are you focusing on constantly finding new networking opportunities and meeting new people? Do you drop in on lots of different association events—swooping in for a quick conversation here or there, but never stopping long enough to become known and respected?
Instead, settle in someplace. Get active in your local ATD Chapter, become a “fixture,” and find ways to show your character and competence. For instance, when AriAnna committed her time and expertise to a local chapter, she noticed that, over time, she’d created a cadre of colleagues who introduced her to new ideas and state-of-the-art strategies. Her company benefited from her BringBack—best practices she learned from the chapter and introduced at her own job done and help her colleagues. AriAnna proved that the time and money she spent away from the office were more than worth it not only to her team, but to the whole enterprise.
So don’t wait for serendipity to surprise you. Instead, be intentional. Make networking an art…not an accident.
