Connections

In management, networking with other in your field(within and outside of your company) is a very important tool.

In middle management, those connections are gold. Yes, it’s nice to make new friends, but those business contacts can be much more than mere friends. Having a staffing shortage? Not sure how to deal with a difficult situation? Looking for a new job? All are issues that can be easily handled if you’ve networked with others. And just think, the person you just networked with could introduce you to one of their contacts, who could do the same again and again down the line until your name is so far spread everyone knows who you are.

This concept was taught to me early in my career by my former boss Shelly(who, in addition to being my mentor is also in and of herself a huge networking guru), when explaining how easy it was for her to go out and recruit new people for our company. “Networking is as easy as going to the company next door and introducing yourself to the boss” she’d say. And it works. I never need to worry about being short staffed, the managers around me send me resumes of people they don’t have room for, and I do the same for them. We also get together every once in and while and talk about the crazy situations we’ve encountered(having to fire someone for having long hair comes to mind) and I know that if a position in their company opens up and they think I may be interested, they pass my info along.

Nowadays, websites such as Facebook and Linkedin make it easy for the beginner to make new or connect with former contacts and with a little work, those contacts can open up a world of possibilities in the future.

I urge you, whatever position you’re in-if you have yet to make a networking connection with someone, do it this week. Just go next door(or call up the company close to you) and introduce yourself to your counterpart in that company. Remember, the next person you introduce yourself to might one day become the CEO of XYZ. Earn their respect and trust me, they won’t forget you when they’re at the top.