1

Networking for your

international business career

© Euroline Brussels

postcard “The Perfect European” drawn by J.N. Hughes-Wilson

Today’s discussion

• What is networking

• What is rapport

• What skills, competencies are needed

• Some techniques for F2F networking conversations in English

• Some techniques for networking in email in English

• Web 2.0 – opportunities and dangers

• Networking for your career

• Corporate examples

What is networking?

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“Working the room”

Networking “game”

“Good networking is making the most of people you meet to your mutual advantage.”

“Networking is like a road trip. Working with others to reach a common destination and enjoying the journey.”

“Networking is using connections with others intelligently.”

D’Souza Steven (2008) brilliant Networking What the best networkers know, say

and do Pearson Education

Networking in business is all about relationship building and making yourself and your company attractive to people in a way they may not have realised before.

Building relationships

3

How do you build any

meaningful, worthwhile and

long term relationship?

Through trust.

Think of networking opportunities not only as “what can I get out of this situation?”

but even more so as

“How can I relate to this person?”

Networking competence

individual communication skills

organisation networking

strategic network leadership

Moving from inconsequential

chitchat to…

• Common ground

• Personal disclosure

Rapport

Rapport is a positive relationship state

characterised by mutual understanding

which facilitates the reaching of

organisational goals in a specific

professional international context.

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We create rapport through:

• verbal behaviour

• vocal behaviour

• physical behaviour

Creating rapport

Matching the other person’s words so they

feel we are speaking their language.

Rapport building

a. Build sensitivity to communication styles

/ values

b. Facilitate transparent communication

c. Develop situational competence

Business Networking Skills

• Building relationships with conversation techniques

• Opening gambits and small talk

• Joining and leaving groups

• Finding common ground

• Maintaining conversation using markers and fillers

• Maintaining conversation with effective non-verbal signals

• Using open questions

• Using personal disclosure

• Creating trust

• Building confidence

Are we training language or

training to communicate? Building Relationships

Personality

Openness

Gender

Leadership

Communication

skills

Language

Business

knowledge

and skills

Influencing

Rapport

Active Listening

Pronunciation

Grammar

LexisCulture

5

Some techniques for networking

conversations in English

Non verbal

Facial expressions

Active listening

The effective listener *

• creates a framework for understanding

• is patient and concentrated

• listens to enable others

• uses questions creatively

• responds effectively (verbally and positively)

• clarifies, reformulates and summarises (redundant style)

• participates as speaker (shares experiences)

• maximises eye contact, body language and voice -manages the group

Jeremy Comfort of York Associates UK – at Languages and Business

conference Düsseldorf 2007

6

Organisations today are

networks of communication

Do you speak the language

of your network?Markets

Services

&

Software

Devices

Nokia

Siemens

Networks

Group Executive Board

Corporate Development Office

Corporate Functions

NAVTEQ

A new direction, a new organization, a new

language? *

* Slide courtesy of David Stoneham Director Communications Nokia

IVANA Helsinki

First Nordic

clothing designer

to be at the Paris

Fashion Week

So are you ready for

networking conversations?

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Establishing common ground

Don't worry about the small talk, just look for

the place to introduce a couple of open

questions and let the other person have the

floor.

"How did you get into that in the first place?“

“When did you say you visited Finland?”

“ How did you like the food there?”

Think of using simple phrases like:

"That sounds very interesting."

"That's something I know nothing about,

please tell me more."

4 techniques for good business

conversation

1. Ask a question/get someone’s opinion

2. Give an opinion

3. Make a statement

4. Compliment

Adapted from

Barker Alan (2006) Improve Your Communication Skills The Sunday Times

Pitch

The elevator pitch

3 adjectives Educate Energise Engage

Your name

Danger…

• Talking about yourself

• Asking the other person a direct question

about themselves

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Organisations today are

networks of communication

Rich

Lean

Effective leaders use appropriate media correctly:- complex matters- commitment- bad news

F2F communicationSmall group meetingsWater cooler, corridor & coffee conversationsVideo conferencesPhone callsVoice mailEmailLarge group meetingsPersonal lettersCopied documentsFaxesInter departmental memosOfficial speechesLettersPress releasesReports

Do you write the language

of your network?

Metropooli

9

News with

rich content,

Opinion survey

results up

Prominent in

strategy

sharing

36,000

watched video

Photo competition,

Video film training

News, videoblog, strategy

and photo contest

Internal meeting

Linda Hudson/UK/Win Win Com’s Meeting [started: 18.17] Meeting Edit Help Participants Linda H UK/ Thanks for joining both of you. Do you have any problems Linda Hudson

with the orders? I know it was tight for production. John Purvis Taina V FI/ Yes it was a tight schedule but we made it. Taina Valli John P HK/ And so we’ll get them all on time? Linda H UKI/ What do you say? Taina V FI/ Yes – just in time for the festive season. Linda H UKI/ Taina – have you got the shipping documents there? Can you put them on please? Taina V FI/ Sure – can you see that one now? John P HK/ Seems to all be in order. Linda H UK/ Right. Have a good day out there in Hong Kong John. I’m leaving the office now. John P HK/ Have a good evening Linda, and you too Taina. Taina V FI/ Thanks. Bye all.

IM

Date Time From To Message

11.09.20XX 10.03:03 Pam Toni Hi, howz Helsinki?

11.09.20XX 10.03:48 Toni Pam Fine. u r in office early...

11.09.20XX 10.04:09 Pam Toni Yep – busy with project X report.

11.09.20XX 10.04:56 Toni Pam Good so am I...

11.09.20XX 10.05:15 Pam Toni Was training scheme ad out ystrday?

11.09.20XX 10.05:45 Toni Pam Yep. Had some calls 2day already.

11.09.20XX 10.06:03 Pam Toni OK good 2 know. Need yr project X update.

11.09.20XX 10.06:26 Toni Pam Will get back 2 u w that in afternoon.

11.09.20XX 10.07:11 Pam Toni gr8! Spk to u later.

11.09.20XX 10.07:38 Toni Pam ok. Will send by email.

Instant Messaging

Wi Long/Hong Kong Sales File Edit View Actions Help Wi Long Hong Kong China Sales Representative

Local time: 08.23 Wi Long - Hi Jani. Is it cold in Finland? Do you have a minute? 08.23 Jani Ojala - Hi Wi Yes of course and it’s minus 10. What’s up? 08.24 Wi Long - Brr! I have a request for the WW brand report 08.24

Jani Ojala - OK – fire away. I’m working on it today actually. 08.25

Wi Long - OK that’s good to know. But I was wondering if section 2 08.26

could include more data. It seems a bit general still. Jani Ojala - Seems reasonable. Good to get some feedback. I’ll ask 08.27 the rest of the sales team here. I’m working on it today actually.

Wi Long - Thanks. Any chance you can get those to me by 08.27 by noon Wednesday? Jani Ojala - Sure. No worries. Enjoy the sunshine! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ Yes I will. I’ll confirm our results and analysis by the end of the day Send

EMAIL as a networking tool

Goodwill emails create good business relations, strengthen relations

Apologies

Promotion

Thanks

Congratulations

Condolence

Appreciation

Welcome

Special Award

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A Finnish student trainee

in an upward email to a contact

“Things here in Finland look optimistic for having a good summer with the sun shining outside as well as in our hearts here at Blyk. Today, we have started to beat the trade & consumer press drum on reaching our target 6 months ahead of schedule. That is, we have this week reached 100k active members, no small feat for a startupwith no above the line marketing ;) See the link for a nice piece in the Daily Telegraph on the subject: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/24/cnblyk124.xml”

From: "Zoe Curtis" <zcurtis@winwin.co.uk>

To: "Anna " Anna.virtanen@winwincom.fi; Robert Dunlop

CC: "Henry Scott" <hscott@winwin.co.uk>

Date: 9.5.20XX 14:07

Subject: Thank you for the enjoyable visit

Hi Anna and Robert

I hope you both enjoyed the training day today! I got home safe and sound in the end but did not arrive

home until 12.45am. I had to be in the office this morning so couldn't sleep in, so I am a bit tired but it

was well worth it!

Thanks so much for an enjoyable trip, it was a fantastic visit to your premises and so well organised.

Your hospitality was amazing and I will never forget the meal and eating reindeer not to mention the

whole experience!

Zoe

Zoë Curtis

Departmental Administrator

Tel: 0044 (0)171 XXXXXX

Fax: 0044 (0) 171 XXXXXX

Letter with short personal greeting Dear Ms Ellis I am sorry not to have replied sooner to your letter of 25 February regarding the publication of Importing Made Easy. My Export Director is in Australia on business. As I am dealing with his work as well as my own I am afraid my correspondence has fallen behind. Whether this book should be published in hardback or paperback is a decision I must leave to my Editorial Director, James Trent. I have passed your letter on to him and he will probably contact you very soon. I hope you are keeping well. With best wishes …..

Short

personal

touch

Letter with extended personal greeting Dear Mrs Jenner Importing Made Easy I have had an opportunity to review the book you sent to me recently. The book presents a concise and clear account of the new import regulations with good examples of how they are likely to be applied. More detailed comments are made on my written review which is attached. I remember you mentioned that you will be spending your summer holiday in the south of France. I hope you have good weather and an enjoyable time. Yours Extended personal greeting

Letter welcoming visitor from abroad Dear Mr Bernard I was pleased to receive your letter of 14 April and to learn that your colleague, Mr Jens Christensen plans to visit England in July. We shall be very pleased to welcome him and to do all we can to make his visit enjoyable and successful. I understand this will be Mr Christensen’s first visit to England and am sure he will wish to see some of our principal places of interest. A suitable programme is something we can discuss when he arrives. I would be pleased to introduce him to several firms with which he may like to do business. Please let me know the date and time of Mr Christensen’s arrival when you have finalised the details with him. I will arrange to meet him at the airport and drive him to his hotel. He may be assured of a warm welcome. Yours sincerely

Extends hospitality, sound business practice

Uses sincere, friendly tone

From CEO – downward letter

2 June 20XX

Name

Address

Dear Toni

On behalf of everyone here at Int Com, I would like to congratulate you on your recent

graduation from .. University of Applied Sciences with your Masters degree in Leadership.

I must say that we were not surprised by your success. During the three years you have worked for Int

Com, you have been praised for your sharp, analytical mind and your commitment to quality customer

service. It is obvious that you have a wide-open future ahead of you. I can only hope that your

experience working with us has contributed in some small way to your success.

I wish you all the best in your future career.

Yours sincerely

X X

President and CEO

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Dear colleague

Employee survey

I am pleased to tell you that we are running an employee survey to gather our

employees' views about working for us. We are committed to working towards

improving any areas which the survey highlights as potential sources of

dissatisfaction, whilst building on the things we do well.

The success of the survey depends on your contribution and it is therefore important to

be honest in your answers and to provide comments which you feel may be helpful.

The results from the survey will be shared with you and your views will be sought in

developing a plan to improve the areas highlighted.

Please would you complete the attached questionnaire and forward it to

<name:> at <address:>

before <date:>

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Yours sincerely

The opportunities and hazards

presented by Web 2.0

LinkedIn’s simple philosophy:

Relationships Matter

Your professional relationships are key to your

professional success.

Our mission is to help you be more effective in your daily

work and open doors to opportunities using the

professional relationships you already have.

This isn’t networking - it’s what networking should be.

Forget exchanging business cards with acquaintances that don’t know

your work, or trying to renew professional ties when you need a favor.

OPEN NETWORKER. Looking to

expand my professional network with

other members of this group. All invites

accepted!

Building networks

From: Winning Connections <connections@winwin.com>

To: Anna Virtanen <anna.virtanen@winwincom.fi>

Date: 14.11.20XX 13:17

Subject: Louise Stansfield has accepted your Winning Connections invitation

Winning Connections Invitation Accepted

Congratulations! You and Louise are now connected.

View Louise's profile to:

* Download Louise's current contact information

* Recommend Louise to others in your network

* Find winning opportunities through Louise's network

* See who you know in common

* Continue building your winning network:

Every person you connect with builds value for you and all your connections. It’s win win!

Thank you for using Winning Connections!

The Winning Connections Team http://www.winwincom.fi/connections

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Networks

Map out the network of relationship links

you have in Facebook

= chaotic

= complex

Networking for your career

Establish a professional presence on the

internet

Try some self-googling!

One-in-Five Employers Use Social

Networking Sites to Research Job

Candidates*

An additional 9 percent said they don’t currently use social networking sites to screen potential employees, but plan to start.

* CareerBuilder.com Survey Chicago September 10, 2008

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The negative

• Of those hiring managers who have screened job candidates via social networking profiles, one-third (34 percent) reported they found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate from consideration. Top areas for concern among these hiring managers included:

41% - candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs

40% - candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information

29% - candidate had poor communication skills

28% - candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee

27% - candidate lied about qualifications

22% - candidate used discriminatory remarks related to race, gender, religion, etc.

22% - candidate’s screen name was unprofessional

21% - candidate was linked to criminal behavior

19% - candidate shared confidential information from previous employers

The positive

• On the other hand, social networking profiles gave some job seekers an edge over the competition. 24% percent of hiring managers who researched job candidates via social networking sites said they found content that helped to solidify their decision to hire the candidate. Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included:

48% - candidate’s background supported their qualifications for the job

43% - candidate had great communication skills

40% - candidate was a good fit for the company’s culture

36% - candidate’s site conveyed a professional image

31% - candidate had great references posted about them by others

30% - candidate showed a wide range of interests

29% - candidate received awards and accolades

24% - candidate’s profile was creative

"As a result, more job seekers are taking

action to make their social networking

profiles employer-friendly. Sixteen percent

of workers who have social networking

pages said they modified the content on

their profile to convey a more professional

image to potential employers."

Tips to keep your online persona in

a favorable light:

1) Clean up digital dirt. Make sure to remove pictures, content and links that can send the wrong message to a potential employer before you start your job search.

2) Update your profile regularly. Make sure to include specific accomplishments, inside and outside of work.

3) Monitor comments. Since you can’t control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the "block comments" feature.

4) Join groups selectively. While joining a group with a fun or silly name may seem harmless, "Party Monsters R Us" may not give the best impression to a hiring manager. Also be selective about who you accept as "friends."

5) Go private. Consider setting your profile to "private," so only designated friends can view

Forbes article

….. use those job boards as a way to find

out which companies are hiring. Then

network your way in. Make a list of the

employers in which you're most interested

and use LinkedIn and other networking

tools to see who you know there.

Leverage those contacts to find out about

openings and to get introductions to hiring

managers.

IHT article

• Be 5 minutes away from your resumé

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Do you speak the language

of your social network?

Postings in a social networking site

A - ello matey hows you?

B - Hay a. how ya bin? did u get ma txt bowt me comin down to london?

A - hay p. i got ur message. hows life n stuff? wen u comin?

B -Fri. ill b setin off from mchstr at bowt half 2ish. we also need 2 arangemeeting time and place

A - got a cupl o Qs 4 ya. Wotz chaz’s fone no and which airport u r pickinur m8s up from? so i can plan a route

B – Hrw

A - Ok. Just cum 2 my place. shudnt b a problem. ill nip in th shop 1st n get food

Web 2.0 dangers

Web 2.0 success networking

stories

Corporate social networking

• www.corporatesocialnetworking.net

15

Nokia

• Mobile Monday Anssi Vanjoki

MobileMonday

The remarkable MobileMonday phenomenon began almost by accident in Helsinki, Finland during the autumn of 2000.

A couple of well-known Finnish visionaries, invited the who’s who of the Finnish mobile industry to a pub for an informal get-together and perhaps a warming drink.

The only suitable time? Monday evening.

After meeting many new faces and discussing the latest in mobility, the group decided to continue meeting on the first Monday of each month —and thus, MobileMonday was born.

Towards the end of 2004, the movement started to spread to other areas of the world and new MoMo chapters were started in Tokyo, Japan, Silicon Valley, UsA as well as Rome and Milan, Italy. Since then, the number of MobileMonday chapters and members has dramatically increased making MobileMonday the world’s leading mobile community.

Facebook and Nokia explore networking

ability

Thank you

Happy networking!