Want to progress your career in call centre management? In a series of exclusive articles, Call Centre Focus will highlight the skills every ambitious contact centre professional needs. In this first article, Colin Gautrey presents his six top tips for business networking.
Want to influence senior management, but hate networking? You’re not alone! Recent research shows that 74% of people believe they could improve on their networking and an incredible 34% cited it as their weakest area when it comes to influencing.
In my experience, I believe that most people have the capability to network, but lack the motivation to do it. They either see it as a pointless activity or as a contrived engagement which lacks authenticity. But I also know, if you want to become influential, having a good robust network is probably one of the best assets you can have, particularly in large complex organisations.
So, in no particular order, here are some ideas which could help you to get up the motivation to build a stronger network…
1. Set targets
Just like you would for every other part of your job, set goals for networking. This makes it easier to get on with it and in many ways legitimises the time spend. It also helps you to focus more effectively on what you need to do, or which events to go to and which to avoid.
2. List the benefits
Unless you expect to gain significantly from networking, you will probably not do it, or it will be half-hearted and therefore much less effective.
3. Define what a "networking" contact is
How many have you got? How many should you have? Where should they be? Creating your definition adds a healthy dose of reality – a Facebook friend is probably not a network contact – and it also increases your focus on what you need to do to build each network relationship.
4. Get organised
You should organise your networking effort to avoid it becoming overrun by everything else. It is part of your job, so plan for it!
5. Remember to add value
Not even your friends will tolerate you taking from them all the time, so why would a network contact accept that situation?
6. Relax
Often, the only person who knows you are nervous at a networking event is you. This is one of the biggest perception gaps between what an individual thinks and what other people notice – often, others are too wrapped up in their own nerves to notice yours! So relax and have some fun.
When I talk to people about power, one of the most frequently cited assets that help people to become powerful, and thus influential, is their network. So write it into your job description and, even if your line manager doesn’t really care, make it a priority for your career.
Colin Gautrey
Author of Advocates & Enemies
www.gautreygroup.com/blog
Related call centre networking opportunities
Call Centre & Customer Management Expo
Call Centre Focus Conference
European Call Centre and Customer Service Awards
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