NETWORKING

                                     THE BENEFITS OF NETWORKING

                     

              WHILE YOUR SUCCESS CERTAINLY STARTS WITH  YOU, IT GROWS TO HIGHER LEVELS AS A RESULT OF YOUR ASSOCIATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. SIMPLY PUT, ,YOU CAN'T SUCCEED ON A GRAND SCALE ALL BY YOURSELF.

             THAT'S WHY NETWORKING IS SO IMPORTANT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS LESSON, LET'S DEFINE NETWORKING AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE FOR MUTUAL BENEFITS.

    IN THE BUSINESS ARENA, NETWORKING HAS THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:

          * GENERATES NEW CLIENTS OR BUSINESS LEADS

          * INCREASE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

          * HELPS IN FINDINGG THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO FILL CRITICAL POSITIONS

          * PROVIDES VALUABLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

          * ASSISTS IN SOLVING PROBLEMS.

    IN THE PERSONAL REALM, HERE'S WHAT NETWORKING CAN DO FOR YOU:

          * ENHANCE YOUR SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS BY INTRODUCING YOU TO NEW FRIENDS.

          * HELP YOU TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH PEOPLE OF VARYING ETHNIC, CULTURAL AND PHILOSPHICAL BACKGROUNDS.

         * PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

         * CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR SPRITUAL GROWTH

                     NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT NETWORKING CAN DO, THE QUESTION IS; WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR NETWORK? LET ME PASS ALONG 16 TECHNIQUES THAT I'VE FOUND PRODUCTIVE. TO SIMPLIFY MATTERS, I'VE ORGANIZED THEM INTO FOUR SEPERATE, BUT RELATED CATEGORIES.

        (ATTITUDE AND ACTION, REFERALS, COMMUNICATION)