Written by There is no doubt that we live in a digital age. But regardless of whether you’re interacting in real life or though a virtual medium, networking rules apply and business success is still often determined not just by what you know but who you know.
At IQPC, networking is a part of our daily life. Here are some of the basic rules we live by.
- What goes around comes around. Give to receive
- Use a helpful approach. Think “what can I contribute to this community that people will find truly helpful?”
- Always keep your integrity. Nothing destroys networking like lack of trust
- Develop a concise, impressive description of who you are and what you do. Aim high. Think Big. Be Relevant
- Be positive. Use positive language. Smile. See the good in people
- Keep your emotional criticisms and personal hang-ups about others to yourself
- Only promise what you can deliver. Aim to under-promise, and then over-deliver
- If you accept a referral or introduction to someone always follow it through
- Say “Thank you” whenever the opportunity arises
- Be interested in all people. Invest your time, attention and genuine understanding in them
- Understand what empathy really means, and practice it. Listen properly
- Remember recommendations reflect powerfully on the recommender
- Seek and take opportunities to make a positive difference wherever you can – even if some of these opportunities are unpaid and unrewarded in conventional terms
- Be clear and realistic about what you want when you are asked. Have a plan.
- Research and adhere to customs and expectations of foreign cultures