Ready, Set, Retire! The Changing Face of Retirement
Benita’s latest book - Watch for the fall release announcement!

To listen to Benita’s radio interview on her latest book with host Stephanie Staples, Your Life Unlimited, life coach go to www.cjob.com, click on shows, audio vault and type in Aug. 26th 2pm.

* * * * *

This newsletter is sent to you by Life Matters Coaching. Copyright © 2006, Benita Stafford-Smith and Life Matters Coaching. All rights reserved. Nothing in this newsletter may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual author and/or copyright owner.

The Coach Approach, October 2006

Week One: Social Networking

An important part of your Personal Network is your social network.

Wikipedia encyclopedia defines a social network as a social structure made of nodes which are generally individuals or organizations. It indicates the ways in which they are connected through various social familiarities ranging from casual acquaintance to close familial bonds. The maximum size of social networks tends to be around 150 people and the average size around 124 (Hill and Dunbar, 2002).

Visit www.orgnet.com for a look at their Social Network Analysis tool.
Social network analysis [SNA] is the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, animals, computers or other information/knowledge processing entities. The nodes in the network are the people and groups while the links show relationships or flows between the nodes. SNA provides both a visual and a mathematical analysis of human relationships. Management consultants use this methodology with their business clients and call it Organizational Network Analysis [ONA].

I found this very interesting, a very cool way to analyze your social network!

Try this assessment below to measure how you communicate with your social network.

What do you focus on and talk about with others?

Symptoms 1 2 3 Source of the problem
The negative 1 2 3 The positive
The past 1 2 3 The present/how things are
Coulds and shoulds 1 2 3 What you really want
Reactions 1 2 3 Chosen responses
Swaps info 1 2 3 Dances
Responds to facts 1 2 3 Gets the gist
The “What” 1 2 3 The “Who”
Facts 1 2 3 Concepts
Others 1 2 3 Yourselves

* * * * *

Week Two: Internal Networking

Networking is an essential skill to advance your career and put you on the fast track to advancing your professional goals. Start building your partnerships today to ensure your future.

Three Essential Steps to Internal Networking:

Step One - invest time in building a personal relationship with your boss.
Step Two - invest time in becoming visible to the senior management team.
Step Three - invest time in being seen as a team player amongst your peers.

Try this assessment to determine how flexible, respectful and generous you are:

Critical 1 2 3 Constructive
Excludes people 1 2 3 Includes people
One-ups 1 2 3 Endorses
Disrespectful 1 2 3 Respectful
Result-driven 1 2 3 Person oriented
Judges 1 2 3 Tolerant
Pushes agenda 1 2 3 Shares your views
“ On” 1 2 3 Not “on”
Rigid 1 2 3 Open
Digs 1 2 3 Builds a person up

* * * * *

Week Three: External Networking

This area of networking covers building a network externally. You build this network within organizations or associations you belong to, with suppliers and clients, with peers in businesses other than your own and with mentors.

I present a workshop entitled Solitaire or Full House? Networking – It’s More Than Just Cards. This topic developed from my years in sales when I would see sales representatives at networking events collecting as many business cards as possible. Most often these cards ended up collecting dust in their desks! (or came in very useful when the sales manager asked how the event went, ha ha ha)

Networking at external events takes preparation before the event, a plan for the event and follow-up after the event.

Rate your current networking skills using a 1-5 scale Where 1 is poor and 5 is excellent:

Put a plan in place to increase your networking scales and reach a perfect five in each of these areas.

Assess how real you are and how real you sound:

Pretentious 1 2 3 Non pretentious
Puffs up people 1 2 3 Is accurate with praise
Sneaky 1 2 3 Forthright, forthcoming
Dishonest 1 2 3 Completely honest
Overstates 1 2 3 Accurately states
Performs 1 2 3 Relates
Knows it all 1 2 3 Seeks to learn
Is “affected” 1 2 3 Real
Full of it 1 2 3 Legitimate
Not genuine/insincere 1 2 3 Genuine

* * * * *

Week Four: Interpersonal Skills for Networking

“If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is their ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.” Harvey MacKay

We create and nurture a network of contacts utilizing communication skills and by showing up as authentic, trustworthy and as leaders in our fields of expertise.

How good are you at producing results?

Hints at 1 2 3 Asks directly
Silent/says little 1 2 3 Speaks up.requests
Dealing in past 1 2 3 Dealing in the present
Immediate gratification 1 2 3 Long-term investor
Win-oriented 1 2 3 Win-win oriented
Problem-oriented 1 2 3 Solution-oriented
Book knowledge 1 2 3 Street smarts
Shares a goal 1 2 3 Inspires with a vision
Bounces around 1 2 3 Sees/gets right to problem
Talks about stuff 1 2 3 Is “for” stuff

How often do you have fluid, two-way conversations?

Repeats/echos 1 2 3 Improves phrasing
Reactive 1 2 3 Responsive
Speak (half-duplex) 1 2 3 Speak & listen (full)
Unaware of mood 1 2 3 Matches mood
Distracted 1 2 3 Attentive
Confrontive 1 2 3 Evoking
Delayed response 1 2 3 Immediate response
Adds a spin 1 2 3 Adds no spin
Non-sequitor 1 2 3 Tracksfollows
Pepper with questions 1 2 3 Clarifies what was said

Networking, networking, networking!

Building a successful business and/or a career requires excellence in this often overlooked skill.