Download - Why Contacts Count

Contacts CountPutting the tools of networking to work in the service of business and career goals for . . .

Corporations Universities GovernmentAssociations

http://contactscount.com/

Putting networking tools to work.© 2009 www.ContactsCount.com

Who are we?

Founded in 1990 by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon

Co-authors of 7 books on networking for professional and organizational success

Create

Cultivate

Capitalize

Contacts Count is the nation’s premier professional networking training and consulting firm.

We work with clients to create, cultivate, and capitalize on professional relationships to benefit their organizations and advance their careers.


Why network?

Get the job done

Professionals network to . . .

Get the business

Get behind organizational initiatives

Get ahead

“The workshop was a huge hit! You unlocked the secrets of meeting, greeting, and nurturing networks and added so much value to our meeting.”

– Ann Marie Rosa, PricewaterhouseCoopers


Don’t people already know how?

60% of Americans say they feel shy and uncomfortable in business and social settings. – The Shyness Clinic, Stanford University

• 85% say, “I don’t have the network I need to accomplish my goals.”

• 97% say “I have trouble remembering names.”

• 85% say, “I don’t know what I want when I go to a networking event.”

– Contacts Count Research

“Many of today’s typical coaching candidates lack organizational savvy. They are underestimated and pigeonholed.” – Drs. Marty Seldman & Rick Brandon, Authors and Executive Coaches

40% of Ph.D.s were born outside of the U.S. “They arrive with needed technical skills, but not the social competencies needed at work.”– Lewis Center, UCLA

“Dependence on remote forms of communication has left many younger workers bereft of interpersonal skills.” – Fast Company

Shyness . . . Skills . . . Savvy . . .

Social competencies . . . Social acumen . . .


What does your organization call it? Relationship

management

Client development

Practice development

Intelligence gathering

Relationship building

Social acumen

Collaboration/ Connectivity

Business development

Rainmaking

Horizontal integration

Social capital

Influencing

Visibility


• Identify personal style

• Clarify attitudes toward networking

• Re-frame networking as teaching & giving

• Adopt leading-edge beliefs about the critical role of networking in the marketplace

1

Be able to:

• Make informed choices about how to focus attention, time, & money

• Adapt and apply the tools of networking to

• Get on board quickly

• Get the job done

• Get behind organizational initiatives

• Get the business

• Get the most out of meetings & conferences

• Get ahead

• Plan agendas to achieve maximum value from events/encounters

2

Be able to:

• Correctly locate any contact in the appropriate Net

• Map WorkNet & OrgNet contacts

• Use criteria to evaluate relationships & sort them into categories, such as Start/Rev Up, Enrich, & Repair

• Plan structured next-step conversations

• Leverage opportunities from one Net to another

3

Be able to:

Capitalize on Style

Appreciating how personality (introversion, extroversion, communication styles, shyness) & mindset (previous learnings, attitudes, misconceptions) affect the ability to build relationships.

Take a Strategic Approach

Targeting specific organizational & career outcomes (macro) and agenda-building for specific networking events & encounters (micro).

Envision the Ideal Network

Identifying WorkNet, OrgNet, ProNet, LifeNet contacts & appreciating the benefits, challenges, & leveraging opportunities faced in developing each of them.

Develop Relationships

Seeing relationship development in 6 stages & managing the trust-building process by teaching character & competence.

• Use criteria to determine the stage of any relationship

• Survey & evaluate options for demonstrating character & competence

• Know how trust is broken & how to re-establish it

• Determine what to teach and learn if you want more of a relationship

• Weigh the Risk & Value of any next step you take to build the relationship

• Initiate & manage the 6 follow-through conversations

4

Be able to:

The 8 Networking Competencies


• Make your name memorable

• Learn names using specific techniques

• Deal with forgotten names in a way that builds the relationship

• Exchange business cards & use them to create a connection

• Easily join groups of people who are already talking

• Use specific methods to end conversations with the future in mind

• Say thank you

• Handle awkward moments

5

Be able to:

• Answer “What do you do?” in a way that makes expertise visible & memorable

• Call to mind, identify, & research events & successes that teach organizational, team, or individual capabilities

• Use guidelines to construct & edit stories that highlight what you want to teach

• Recognize storytelling opportunities

• Deliver stories in a way that increases personal & organizational visibility

6

Be able to:

• Analyze & select networking arenas to reflect your goals

• Decide if a specific group meets your needs

• Outline participation & plan how to get the most from time & money spent

• Decide when to discontinue involvement in a group

• Create a customized group to generate referrals & find resources

• Seek out & plan how to take advantage of internal networking opportunities

7

Be able to:

• Ask questions designed to learn about others & develop relationships

• Listen generously with a bias toward action

• Be alert for opportunities to connect your contacts & provide access to resources, talent, opportunities

• Up the ROI by bringing back business intelligence from conferences & meetings

• Encourage & support (model and mentor) a networking culture throughout the organization

8

Be able to:

Increase Social Acumen

Becoming more comfortable, confident, and professional by mastering relationship rituals.

Showcase Expertise

Using examples & stories to teach contacts about expertise, experience, talents, & interests.

Assess Opportunities

Choosing optimum networking opportunities & making participation pay off.

Deliver Value

Contributing to the organization’s networking culture & capitalizing on networking to affect the bottom line.

The 8 Networking Competencies


Organizational clientsKraft

Bank of America

Deloitte

DuPont

Corning

Lockheed Martin

Raytheon

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Microsoft

Ernst & Young

eBay

Booz Allen Hamilton

KPMG

First Horizon Bank

HSBC Bank

ExecuNet

Lee Hecht Harrison

Right Management Associates

Grant Thornton

Bates White

Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus

Snyder, Cohn, Collyer, Hamilton & Associates

Smithsonian

Central Intelligence Agency

National Geographic Society

United Way

Brookings Institution

ICF International

Abt Associates

Interiors by Decorating Den

Sir Speedy

“Solid skills. Entertaining delivery. 99% of our 300 attendees recommend you for future events, and 97% say your presentation will help their career development here.”

– Career Planning, Booz Allen Hamilton

“With in-depth knowledge about how to network and strategies to motivate participants to try new and better approaches, Contacts Count helps people establish meaningful connections in a huge corporation.”

– Beth Dumesco, Learning & Development,Lockheed Martin


Developing networking competency . . .

Organizations


University clientsMichigan

Georgetown

Maryland

Marquette

Arizona State

George Mason

Catholic

“Raises the bar for all future speakers . . . useful and relevant information with specific examples and delightful stories. Very polished. Moved at a good pace, while still encouraging interaction.”

– Students and Alumnae of the Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, University of Missouri

Friends

Carnegie-Mellon

George Washington

Missouri

Nebraska

Baltimore

Wharton

“Students found your content and delivery impressive. We’ll be calling on you in the future.”

– Gil Yancey, Executive Director, MBA Program, George Washington University



"100% would recommend Contacts Count networking skills for alumni and advancement professionals to their colleagues . . . comfortable, conversational, and engaging.”

– Naomi Marshall, Conference Director, Academic Impressions

Universities


Government clientsTreasury Executive Institute

U.S. Senate

U.S. Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce

U.S. Navy

National Institutes of Health

Presidential Management Fellows Program

National Technology Transfer Center

“I’ve always believed that casual conversation leads to opportunities in personal and professional life. That’s been enhanced even more by the Contacts Count skills.”

– Don Cohen, Assistant Director, IT Security,U.S. Treasury Department

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Defense Information Systems Agency

Office of Personnel Management

National Geospatial Intelligence Agency

Central Intelligence Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Naval Undersea Warfare Center

Environmental Protection Agency



“Our Senior Fellows praised the way that you simplified the nuances of networking, while emphasizing how government leaders can build stronger alliances and connect to get things done.”

– W. Frederick Thompson, V. P., The Council for Excellence in Government

Government


Association clientsAmerican Chemical Society

Society of Women Engineers

National Association of Women Business Owners

National Business Incubation Association

Commercial Real Estate Women

Consumer Electronics Association

Women in Technology,

American Institute of Architects

National Association of Home Builders

American Council of Engineering Companies

Employee Relocation Association

Edison Electric Institute

Property Management Association

Pan Asian Women’s Association

Society of Black Professionals

National Fisheries Institute

American Society of Association Executives

Public Relations Society of America

Medical Librarians Association

Army Librarians Association

Society of Human Resource Managers

American Society for Training and Development

Outdoor Writers Association

National Association of Colleges and Employers

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

California and Kansas Society of CPAs

International Association of Business Communicators

International Association of Personnel Managers

National Association of Public Hospitals

“The program is a ‘must see’ for any professional!”

– Russ Holbrook, HR and Operations,American Society of Plastic Surgeons



“As a foreign professional looking for work in the highly competitive U.S. job market, I got the knowledge and understanding of strategic networking that made a positive difference.”

– Nalinie Kouame, Communications Consultant, Washington, D.C.

In professional staff, to . . .

Among members, so they can . . .

Associations


We partner with you on programs for . . .


Typical project

Heery International’s architecture, engineering, and construction managers at their annual University honed their skills in business development, client relationships, and cross-selling. Contacts Count was invited back 4 years in a row.

“Research at MIT found that engineers and researchers were 5 times more likely to turn to another person for information rather than to search an impersonal source such as a file or database.”– The Hidden Power of Social Networks, Rob Cross, Ph.D.


Typical project

Staff at Georgetown University move ahead with their careers in the Management Certificate Program. For the past 8 years, we’ve led a one-day course, twice a year, to help employees master the networking competencies necessary for success.

“A recent study shows that successful managers network 70% more than unsuccessful ones.” – Academy of Management Journal


Typical project

Bank of America relationship managers from three states attended a full-day, customized workshop to help them build relationships in their communities. They left with personalized, strategic networking plans designed to attract new clients.

“It is through their networks that people learn, create, energize one another, and open channels to new opportunities.” – Deloitte


Typical project

“Social networks put you in the thick of information flows and are one of the best predictors of productivity.”– Computerworld

For the National Geographic Society, we designed and delivered training for employees who serve internal customers. They learned how to reach out, build cross-functional relationships, and gather intelligence about the needs of those they serve.


Typical project

Administrative Officers at the U.S. Department of State learned about networking at its best. In half-day courses, they focused on how to create, cultivate, and capitalize on their networks to help embassies run smoothly.

“The world has become an increasingly interwoven place. Whether you are a company or a country, your threats and opportunities . . . derive from who you are connected to.” – Thomas Friedman, NY Times Columnist


Typical project

In ongoing training programs for George Washington University, undergraduate and graduate students learn the networking skills they need to attend job fairs, find internships, land jobs, and succeed in the world of work.

“Work will be increasingly relationship-based and therefore managing the weaving of relationships even more essential to outcomes.” – Association of CareerProfessionals International


Typical project

For human resources professionals at Lockheed Martin, we teach “Networking At Its Best” in a 2-year Leadership Development Program. Activities designed to increase social acumen and build social capital include a pre-test and post-test, training sessions, one-on-one and group telephone coaching, and a monthly online reinforcement program.

“Leaders who are skilled networkers have access to people, information, and resources to help solve problems and create opportunities.” – Center for Creative Leadership


Typical project

For the Johns Hopkins Women’s Network at the Applied Physics Lab, we customized and led two skill-building sessions. More than 250 people attended the sessions to strengthen their connections and learn state-of-the-art networking skills to advance their careers.

“The most effective high performers create and tap large, diversified networks that are rich in experience and span all organizational boundaries.”– MIT/Sloan Management Review


Typical project

Interiors by Decorating Den, the nationally known franchise, asked us to speak at four of their annual conferences. We provided a keynote, a workshop, and several one-day pre-conference training sessions. Franchise owners also attended our telephone training programs, focusing on how to bring in the business.

“The richest people in the world build networks.”– Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Richard Kiyosaki


Typical project

The National Association of Home Builders invited us to speak at five of their Remodelers Conferences, where the focus was how to get more business. We also spoke at three annual meetings for executive officers, who learned skills to help them find resources for the chapters they manage and to help members and volunteers get more involved.

"It's a no-brainer that having a strong network is key to building a successful business. A good strategic network can take a business to the next level." – Richard Carson, Deloitte Canada


Typical project

The Consumer Electronics Association invited us to design and deliver a half-day workshop for staff to help them feel more confident and competent when networking with members and board members. Bonus: Cross-functional resource sharing increased when staff members learned more about each other.

The formal structures, as manifested in organizational charts, don’t explain how most of their real day-to-day work gets done in organizations.”– McKinsey Quarterly


We customize our…

“I was thoroughly impressed with how clearly and concisely you articulate the importance of cultivating contacts and include so much research and so many examples.”

– MJ Hall, Senior Project Manager ASTD Benchmarking Forum

Keynotes (30-90

minutes)

Training programs

Work-shops and breakouts

Webinars and

telephone seminars

Consulting Coaching


Contacts Count ResourcesMake Your Contacts Count(AMACOM, 2nd Edition) By Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon

This 5-star-rated book provides indispensable networking know-how for business and career success.

"I left feeling energized and inspired to redouble my networking activities. I've already told several others how terrific your class and book are." – Alex Berley, Director of Client Services, E&G Group

Networking Know-How: The Contacts Count System for Savvy Professionals and Smart CompaniesThis 80-minute audio CD outlines

• What to do and say to advance through the 6 stages of relationship building

• Managing the 3 key moments of networking

• Building your credibility with stories and examples . . . and more!

“Networking is not just a buzzword. This vital skill has helped me build a successful career. I recommend this to the people I coach.” – Linda Marks, Corning, Inc.

"Thanks to Make Your Contacts Count, I now know how to show my character and competence with confidence. With my agenda in hand, it’s easier to turn every event into an opportunity for success.” – Michael Knaebel, Senior Manager, Technical Workforce Development, Lockheed Martin Space Systems


Contact

I

Lynne Waymon

Co-founder and PartnerProfessional Speaker & TrainerCo-author of “Make Your Contacts Count”Presenter on CD: “Networking Know-How”

Contacts Count

1400 East-West Hwy, Suite 1228Silver Spring, MD 20910Phone (301) [email protected]

Download - Why Contacts Count

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