Coffee Lunch Coffee (2012) are some practical guides to expanding relationships. Using her personal and professional experience, along with tips and exercises, author Alana Muller clarifies ways to develop interpersonal skills and build lasting relationships, to help them grow. us in our personal and professional lives. This is a must-have for anyone who wants to succeed professionally.
This book is for
- Those who want to change jobs
- New college graduate looking for a job
- Start-ups who want to increase the number of customers
About the author
Alana Muller is the author and founder of the Coffee Lunch Coffee blog, and the president of Kauffman FastTrac, a nonprofit educational organization that helps train entrepreneurs. Alana holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Chicago, regularly organizes business seminars and contributes to Forbes.com and the Huffington Post.
What does this book have for you? Become more successful professionally and personally by learning to communicate more effectively.
Establishing relationships was once considered necessary only when we separated it from work. However, more than ever, networking has become a prerequisite for career success, whether we are unemployed or not. When applied well, networking provides us with a community of people and keeps us on top of growth in the labor market.
This book will show you how to succeed and value the networking process, how to build community, and how you can connect with others in an enjoyable and professional way.
In the following pages you will find out:
- how to connect with someone in 30 seconds;
- the way the relationship was established completely changed the author's life; and
- How to turn an author's experience of scaling a simple network into $25 million.
Networking is an essential skill for success, and it takes more than just collecting business cards.
In whatever industry we work in, networking is an essential skill to have. In fact, with the fast-paced and rapidly changing work environment, it is not possible for us to avoid socializing.
More than just an opportunity to collect business cards, socializing is about establishing relationships and helping people.
For example, author and commentator Arianna Huffington once attended an event at a woman's home in New York City to speak and discuss the challenges women face in the workplace. After talking, she gave her personal email address to everyone in the room. Doing so allowed her to continue the conversation with all those who attended the meeting deeper and beyond what a meeting would bring.
To be effective communicators, we must care about those we
talk, not just what they can give us. In the long run, helping others benefits both your work life and personal life.
The network of relationships includes not only the number of contacts, but also the quality of those relationships. It is a skill we need to be successful in life. It acts as a safety net in our evolving work environment and helps us move forward at work.
We may not all be born socialites, but there are tips and tricks anyone can learn to hone these beneficial skills.
These tips include: making sure you have a 30-second talk in the elevator where you can quickly and easily introduce who you are and what you do; know the resources you can use to communicate (sites like linkedin.com and job-hunt.org); how to tell stories to really connect with others and how to build a personal brand.
A good grasp of these techniques can make your career satisfying and challenging.
Expanding the network of relationships is community building; This could be a life changing opportunity.
Networking is about creating relationships, connecting with people, and becoming part of a larger community. Our jobs may change, but the relationships we cultivate through our networks will last over time.
Network expansion is community building.
For example, after the author quit her 10-year job at Sprint Nextel Corporation, instead of being alone, she set herself up for meetings every day for nine months to connect with new people and new ideas. new company. By doing so, she creates a secure network of contacts.
Muller's network has taught her how to adapt, monitor changes in the business world, and react to them appropriately.
Her work schedule also keeps her from being isolated. She introduced herself to 200 people and went to 160 meetings in nine months which meant she had to constantly connect with others.
In turn, she built a community where many people could communicate and work with each other.
To get the most out of networking, you should treat it like a job: get up early and start planning your meeting. The ideal times to meet other people are during morning coffees, at lunch, and afternoon coffees.
Although some of us have an instinctive inclination in grid expansion, not all of us find it easy. However, with practice – even if you think you don't need it – you will always be ready when there are days when you need help from your contacts.
In addition to fostering community and serving as a safety net, networking can even be life-changing.
For instance, after the author left her job, she succeeded in taking on her current job as FastTrac president, Kauffman — the result of nine months of meetings.
Knowing your goals and being well prepared is the only way to build a valuable network.
Where do you see yourself in the next few months? Or a few years from now? Addressing these questions can make networking more effective because they help you define your goals. And defining goals helps you strengthen your network.
As you consider what you want, you should prioritize long-term goals so that short-term goals can get you there.
Short-term goals might include meeting people who are relevant to your field, discussing and getting ideas from them, and asking how you might be able to help them.
Long-term goals may include cultivating professional and personal relationships with colleagues, getting your dream job, or making a positive difference to someone else's work. present.
Take the time to make the lists below that will help you achieve your networking goals:
- People you already know in the community
- People you want to know in the community
- Companies you want to learn about
- Case "Non-Negotiable"
The "non-negotiable" list outlines the things you're not willing to compromise for your new job. This could be, for example, geographical restrictions or how one's work and family life is divided.
As well as listing goals, you should also be prepared for networking; specifically your mind, body or spirit.
The mind's job is to stay focused on the end goal, which means stay focused and engaged with the person you're meeting.
Your body's job is to manage your emotions in every encounter. Remember that positivity and fun can be contagious and increase a meeting's chances of success.
Ultimately, it's mental responsibility to focus on long-term goals. Focus on your future plans, how you can help the person you're meeting right now, and the points you want to convey.
To make your experience more engaging, start by telling a few compelling stories.
So, how to make communication smooth? The answer is through storytelling, which means sharing anecdotes from your professional experience.
Your story should start with an introductory email and request a meeting. How you introduce yourself here is very important.
If you did not receive their contact information directly, mention who gave you their information and how you contacted them.
In the email, briefly outline your work experience and end by stating the areas you're interested in and asking if the person is available to meet.
In this first email, avoid sending a resume. Instead, send your resume in the next email, upon confirmation of the meeting.
When you actually join the meeting, your story should be well-crafted, bring your work experience to life and include the following:
First, you should mention the conflicts you face in your work. For example, maybe you have successfully retained a customer who is considering discontinuing your service.
You should also have a hero – yourself, of course – but it's also a good idea to mention particularly helpful colleagues with you.
To keep your partner interested, you should also have predictions. After that fight, you can express why what you're talking about is so important.
Next, your story should have a climax, that is, tell them how you resolved the conflict!
After the climax, describe a transformation by telling them how you changed the outcome of the conflict.
Finally, give an explanation, where you emphasize how you grew from the experience.
Make sure your story is relevant to your audience and encourage them to tell their own story.
It's best to prepare your stories in advance, put them on paper, and even practice in front of a mirror.
Networking is easier when you're fully focused.
It's that fateful day and you're looking forward to meeting that person. So what are some helpful things to keep in mind?
The first thing to note is that your mind and body should be focused and very calm when communicating with your partner.
First impressions matter, so approach meetings confidently with a handshake
stocky. Remember that the meeting should be an enjoyable event and something you have been looking forward to.
Make sure you have a specific process – agree on a time and place that works for both of you and come prepared with the key points and key messages you want to convey.
Also make sure you get to know the person you're meeting before going to the meeting. Have some questions for them, such as: what is your company aiming for? What are your responsibilities? How did you join the company? How has your previous work experience supported you in this position?
Listening is important! Pay attention to your partner's answers and how they relate to your professional interests.
Listening helps keep your body and mind engaged and keeps the conversation flowing.
So how can we control our stress levels? The following tips will help.
Eye interaction. Remember to look the person you're talking to in the eye and avoid looking away while you're talking.
If you feel that your nerves are being overloaded, you are sweating and gasping for breath, consciously adjust your breathing to slow and deepen. This has a soothing and cooling effect.
It is important to limit hand movements. So if you have nervous hands, focus on eye contact and your hands should move in a natural way. You can also fold your arms to limit their wiggle.
Controlling these reactions will make you look more comfortable and help you connect with your partner.
To succeed in the networking arena, you need an impressive resume.
A profile with outstanding personal information is the complete picture of how you present yourself to others. Paying attention to every aspect of that portfolio helps you stand out from the crowd. Simply put, a profile becomes more competitive when networking skills are mentioned.
Your resume should include a cover letter, your business card, your resume, and your bio.
The main self-introduction should last about 30 seconds. This is your chance to promote yourself. Use a 30-second timeframe in an elevator or while walking between rooms with someone. During this time, tell them a little bit about you, your career history, and your goals.
Next, you should always have your business card on hand. You might even consider having a personalized business card that addresses areas of expertise beyond the regular business card.
Personal records should also include a resume. Make sure your resume is relevant and up-to-date. According to networking master Eric Morgenstern, a resume is like a woman's shirt: it should reveal just enough to seduce the other party, not give everything away! Make sure you have up-to-date and professional critical scores to attach to your resume.
You'll also want to prepare a professional profile to communicate with the people you meet. Muller recommends having a concise version of about 200 words and a more detailed version of about 500 words.
Remember that your personal profile should continue to expand, even after the meeting. After the meeting be sure to write an email thanking the other party for their time and, if appropriate, a thank you email to the person who referred you to them.
Remember what you learned from the meeting because recalling details from the first meeting is central to building a strong relationship.
Assembling a personal portfolio in this way will help you stand out and connect with others both professionally and personally.
Step boldly into the unknown; Networking takes place outside of your comfort zone.
In addition to planning individual encounters, there are also other situations when we network more casually. This may seem difficult, but it is an important part of networking training. It allows you to step out of your comfort zone and explore the community.
The risk is when you push yourself. That way, you'll start seeing networking opportunities you've never seen before.
In fact, networking doesn't happen automatically when you're scheduling meetings. You should be prepared to turn natural situations into a networking opportunity.
Laurel Touby, founder of networking and job search site Mediabistro, is good at it. After graduating from college, Laurel moved to New York City to start her career as a writer, and after some experience working for magazines, she decided to move into freelance work.
Seeking freelance work instead of isolating herself, Laurel began arranging weekly events with one of her freelance friends where they could invite friends to connect with each other and discuss their work.
The simple start of meeting and networking with such new people quickly grew into a networking event.
Seeing the success of this, Laurel decided to turn the concept into a job search website and a place to build a network, where employers could post jobs. If the employer can find a candidate, she will receive a commission.
Laurel's idea was so successful that she was able to sell her company for $25 million.
What is the lesson of the story? While not all of us will be able to turn a networking event into a multi-million dollar business, it is impossible for us to know the opportunity that may come from other informal get-togethers, unless when we participate in those meetings!
Laurel has proven to be a great successful networker because she didn't start these meetings to make money, but as an opportunity to get to know people.
Persistence is the key to mastering the skill of building relationships.
As in all professions, being an expert requires a lot of effort. To be a great networker, be dedicated, patient, and complete in daily activities such as meeting others, listening, following, and giving.
It's important to acknowledge that networking is a lifelong undertaking, and it requires patience and a willingness to take the necessary time.
Like learning a language, you have to put in the necessary time if you want to become fluent. In other words, you should always be ready to learn and gain knowledge from your contacts.
Searching and asking questions is important as this often helps with learning new things.
Questions can be trivial, such as asking vacation destinations or how to use the camera's aperture, or more important, such as how can you help someone at work company you want to work there.
Mastering the language of communication is more than just talking about business with interests in mind. It's about listening to others and forming a personal relationship with them.
You also have to remember that success and bonuses don't always come from building a network.
Don't forget that in the nine months before taking over as president of Kauffman FastTrac, Muller attended a total of 160 meetings and met 200 new people. So persistence is key!
Networking is about fostering relationships; Like planting a garden, it makes no sense to expect immediate results. Relationships take time and focus to develop.
As a longtime student and networking practitioner, you should be looking for ways to connect with people and be ready to never stop learning.
Summary
The main message of the book is
Networking is an essential skill in this constantly changing business world. Knowing how to connect with others and build lasting relationships at work will help you achieve your professional and personal endeavours. Whether you are looking for a job or simply want to explore more opportunities for growth in your current career, networking will help you achieve your goals.
Give advice:
Set up meetups to build a network of relationships!
Relationships aren't just for people looking for a career change; relationships help us meet new people and expand our work boundaries even when we are already satisfied with our current jobs. Value networking and meet a certain number of people every week or month. Try to stay in touch with those people while meeting new people.
Learn networking ideas from your social interactions.
When dealing with people, keep in mind what makes you and the person you're socializing with, and how you can apply the same methods to your other social interactions. . Think about how you connect with others in situations that aren't meant for networking to apply to your own networking encounters, which make meetings more effective, more memorable and more enjoyable.
