A new Season for Networking in the Southwest

By BETTE DAOUST, Ph.D., Southwest Bureau Chief     Bette's Bio    Email article

I am always amazed at how networking masters are really attuned to helping each other with introductions. I recently put out a call for speakers to help with a project I am working on for the Better Business Bureau. I simply put out an APB to my network of masters to see if they were interested. Not only were they interested, their networks have been emailing me as well. I must say that the power we create for ourselves is amazing when we learn to network with skill.

Although most people I meet are networking to see what is in it for themselves, I do come across individuals that are true masters. What do I mean about a true master? I mean someone that networks to get to know people whether they do business with them or not. The master is the person who has become the hub and go to person for others. When there is a need, the master is the person you usually ask the question about who they know that can help. Just remember that the master is not the person that name drops and explains who they know, it is the person that quietly introduces you to someone that may be able to help you with your needs.

Let’s go back to my speaker example for a minute. I asked Adam (the originator of this newsletter) if he was interested in being one of the speakers. He promptly passed the information on to others he knew. To me Adam is a true master of networking. In the southwest, I have a few similar connections with masters of networking. Every community has several true masters and we need to seek these people out and make them a part of our network.

Remember that you can spot these masters by how they connected people together without thought of selling their own products and services. They know that sooner or later, each person that has received a referral will eventually refer someone back to them.

The next networking event you attend, look for the master. Even if you are already a master, knowing another master makes you ten times stronger together.

 

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Contact Bette at BetteD@TheNationalNetworker.com or via TNNW Blog.