The ABC's of Networking: V is for Vision

Who do you want as part of your professional business network, and how do you expect your network to be of assistance? Those who are successful in their networking efforts do not just expect to meet people and then await results. Successful people are visionary (in all aspects of their lives).

Take a long look at who you currently network with and examine if the people you know are in the industries you desire to do more business with. See if the individuals have the status and the commitment to be a mutually beneficial resource. While knowing a lot of cool people is nice, it is more important that you recognize if you know the right type of business people. Some will not have the cache to open doors for you, but worse.....others will not choose to do so (or simply not have the skills needed to be a networker). If you have holes in your network, you need to identify them and then make a plan to add people to your circle of influence who have the connections you need.

By having vision I mean that you look to your future and identify where you want to be with your network (and your career). Once you see in your mind what success looks like, you need to clarify what you need to do to make you vision into reality. Anyone can visualize a desire, but it is the commitment to taking action that puts you on the path to success. But the first step is seeing it in your head.

If you were boarding a plane that was flying from Los Angeles to Honolulu, you would want the pilot to in his mind where he is going and to visualize what constitutes success (a successful landing at the Hawaiian Airport!!!). If not, he would just be taking off and flying west. If you look at a map, there is a lot of "blue" out to the west of California. To just hope that the plane would land on the runway is a big gamble and would ensure a watery end. The same is true for anything you want to achieve in your career.

Know what success looks like (Steven Covey says "Begin with the End in Mind!!!") and see it clearly in your mind. Have a vision of what you want and how to get there. Know who can help you along the way. Then go do it.

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com